


Unwanted, But Needed

by KileySSnape



Series: Becoming Beifong [1]
Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: AU, Book One: Air, Complete, F/M, Family, Family Feels, Lin being...Lin, Mother-Daughter Relationship, OC Character Death, OFC x Lin Family dynamic (slow build), One-Sided Attraction, Past Child Abuse, Repost from my old fanfic account, Trauma
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-16
Updated: 2021-03-21
Packaged: 2021-03-24 16:07:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 16
Words: 29,915
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30074808
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KileySSnape/pseuds/KileySSnape
Summary: I was orphaned by Amon at the Equalist rally and saved by chance by the Avatar and her friends. I had not one. Tenzin placed me under the protection of Chief Lin Beifong until he could find why I was targeted. Little did I know by him doing so, I would gain one of the most important people in my life. My name is Kailyn Hsiao, and in time I would learn what it took to become a Beifong.**This is a repost and edited version of my story "Not What I Wanted What I Needed" on my old fanfic account. I decided to bring it to this platform when I amended it.**
Relationships: Bolin/OFC, Korra/Mako (Avatar/canon length of relationship), Pema/Tenzin (Avatar)
Series: Becoming Beifong [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2212716
Kudos: 8





	1. Chapter One

Unwanted, But Needed

by Kiley S. Snape

“ _Ever has it been that love knows not its own depth until the hour of separation._ ”

I saw it everywhere that I looked, whether my eyes were open or not…the ever-present image of my father’s life being stripped from his body and the latter falling limply to the floor. No matter how hard I dug the heels of my hands into my closed eyes – the scene remained. I was helpless then, just as I was now.

I could hear Tenzin arguing with her; he had been for what seemed like hours. I had known the airbender for as long as I could remember living in Republic City; he was one of the few friendly faces that remained constant in my life. Avatar Korra and her friends help me escape the chaos of the Equalist rally and they did not realise that Tenzin and I knew each other until the former paled at my haggard frame being guided off the ferry. He did not hesitate to take me into his care – and protection – but with the growing threat of Amon and his Equalists, Tenzin had enough worries.

“I fail to see how this girl has to be my problem.”

“Lin, her father was one of my closest friends. She had to watch…and almost lost her bending if what Korra says is true. I can’t protect her on my own, and you’re one of the few people that I trust. We must find out why she and her father were even targeted,” Tenzin explained.

His response was met with silence for a time, and I would have thought that Chief Beifong had left if I had not known better. My throat tightened at Tenzin’s compassion, and I dug my hands into the earth beneath me to keep back the fresh wave of tears.

“Fine,” Lin huffed.

I felt their footsteps mingle as they left the building to come my way; I rose from my seat beneath the tree. I brushed back my thick curtain of hair and folded my arms around my chest to brace myself.

“Kailyn, this is Chief Lin Beifong. Lin…this is Kailyn Hsiao,” Tenzin introduced.

Almond shaped eyes of peridot locked onto me with a calculating precision, and I smoothly met their gaze. Lin Beifong had a svelte figure encased in a suit of metal, carefully hidden away from friend and foe, and two scars were sharp against the fair skin of her right cheek.

I brought my right fist to my left palm as I bowed. “I am honoured to meet you,” I spoke softly.

Instead of repeating my gesture, the stern chief of police dipped her head. “Come along,” she ordered curtly with a wave of her hand.

“Thank you, for everything,” I bid to Tenzin, shying away when he reached out to touch me. I fell into step with Lin; we did not say a word to one another on the ferry ride back to the city or throughout the drive to her home.

Her penthouse flat was as spartan as her person and mannerism. A practical sofa occupied the front room at a clinical off-centre position, and the walls were lined with shelves brimming with books. The latter brought me a small comfort, as my home and even my father’s office had been havens for the written word.

“The guest room is this way.”

I jerked in surprise at the sound of her voice and realised that I had been slowly making my way over to peruse her collections. I once more followed her as she guided me down the hall. She opened the door to the bedroom on the right, so I assumed that the one directly across from mine was hers… which I took as a slight comfort.

My father had praised the skill of such a powerful bender that used her affinity to protect and serve. The recollection of that and the awe for the chief of police when I was younger caused my eyes to burn. I blinked to clear my vision and hesitantly made my way to the edge of the bed. I set my small bag down and slowly sat down.

“Hungry?”

I shook my head; I needed to be alone so that one more person did not see me fall apart. I stared listlessly at the bare wall before me. How long would I feel hunger, in its consuming grief, low in my chest? I could feel her eyes boring into the back of my head, making my skin feel alight and the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. I eased myself onto the firm mattress, crossing my legs beneath me, doing my best to ignore the peridot eyes upon me, and closed my eyes as the tears began to fall.

She left without further ceremony, and I could sense her stalking around her kitchen like it had offended her in some way. I sagged forward to bury my face into the mattress and relished in the pleasant pull of my muscles stretching from the position. I let myself succumb to the ache burrowing into me.

It is a tragically faint sound, the sound of your heart breaking; it is only the tears that give it presence and the sobs its voice.

* * *

The following morning, I awoke at dawn to the muffled thuds of fists pounding into a punching bag. Changing out of the clothes that I had on yesterday into fresh ones, I padded out of the bedroom and into the kitchen.

The contrast from Pema’s bright and welcoming kitchen to the one I stood in swept away what fatigue lingered. I took the kettle from the stove and filled it, returning it to its place, and lit the stove. I took a seat at the small table while I waited for the water to boil. I felt sluggish and disconnected as if I had been placed in a reality that I had no reason being part of.

Metal footsteps signaled Lin’s approach. She stopped in the entryway when she saw me -as if she were surprised that I remained in her home. “How did you sleep?”

Her curt tone caused me flinch, only just. “Well enough,” I answered faintly.

“Not much of an answer,” she snorted.

I did not intend for it to be one. I rubbed at my burning eyes, wishing that it would brush away the ache and blurriness. I rose to my feet when the kettle shrieked and poured a cup for Lin and then myself. I set the cup on the table across from me for the stern woman before I returned to my seat.

“You a bender?”

Did she have to sound like she was conducting an interrogation every time she spoke? I nodded my head and let the conversation die there. The cup trembled in my clammy hands, and I stared down at the tremors.

“Would you prefer to hide away here or come with me to the Council’s chambers?”

“I will come with you,” I replied softly.

She took in my appearance with a quirked brow. I knew all too well what she saw – tangled, untamed hair, dark rings around dull eyes. I looked half dead… but I felt more than half. She shrugged and motioned for me to come along. I slid on the canvas slippers that I had toed off by the door the night before as we left our tea unfinished.

The ride to the City Hall was no less awkward than the silent drive to Lin Beifong’s home last night. I angled my body towards the window as I stared out at the city. What would happen to our things – our home – if anything remained of it? Would the Council hire people to clear away the rubble and collect any of my father’s possession for me to receive? Would anything of value have been pocketed or sold off to fund some politician’s pet project?

We strode into the building, and I could feel the whispers and eyes ripple over my person. I hunched my shoulders and curled into myself as I refused to meet anyone’s gaze. I was grateful to be in Lin’s company as no one would find us approachable for cheap offers of condolences and support. Lin made her way purposefully to the Council’s chamber and pushed open the doors.

Those inside paid us no attention, clearly engaged in a heated debate with the Avatar and the Council.

“I’m sorry, but our decision has been made. This meeting is adjourned.”

Lin sent a metal cable snaking towards Councilman Tarrlok. For a moment, I thought she meant to seize the sleazy man; however, the cable wrapped the gavel so fiercely that it broke away from its neck. Everyone’s eyes turned to regard us. Lin sneered at the council members – my heart clenched as my attention fell to my father’s seat and saw that they had already found a replacement. Lin coiled her cable back into its carrier and cocked a hip.

“I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I agree with the Avatar,” she announced.

“You do?” Tarrlok remarked.

“Yeah, you do?” Avatar Korra exclaimed, incredulous.

“I expect this kind of cut-and-run response from Tenzin, but the rest of you? Come on, show a little more backbone. It’s time the benders of this city displayed some strength and unity against the Equalists,” Lin continued.

“We must prevent the conflict between benders and non-benders from escalating into and all-out war! The council is not changing its position, Lin,” Tenzin protested.

“Now just a moment, Tenzin,” Tarrlok interjected smoothly, “Let us hear what our esteemed chief of police has in mind.”

Lin was quiet for a moment until she said, “If you keep the arena open – my metalbenders and I will provide extra security during the championship match. There’s no better force to deal with the chi-blockers – our armour is impervious to their attacks.”

“Are you saying that you will _personally_ take responsibility for the safety of spectators in the arena?” Tarrlok challenged. The combination of such carefully crafted words and the smug expression that sparked in his eyes, set me on edge.

“I guarantee it.”

Fool.

“It is hard to argue with Chief Beifong’s track record,” Tarrlok simpered, “If she is confidant her elite officers can protect the arena, then she has my support. I am changing my vote.” At that, Tarrlok raised his hand as he asked, “Who else is with me?”

As expected, by me and Tarrlok, the other three council members raised their hands in compliance. “The arena stays open. Good luck in the finals,” Tarrlok bid to the Avatar.

“All right!” a boy my age exclaimed.

I knew him – without speaking to him or knowing his home. I sagged against the bench at the cacophony of memories of that night came crashing back. That boy was almost a victim of Amon’s Revelation. My chest felt too tight, and my vision flickered, as I struggled to control my hyperventilating.


	2. Chapter Two

“Kailyn?” Tenzin called out gently, sounding so very far away. I shied away from the hand that came to rest on my shoulder, snapping my eyes shut, and heard Tenzin say, “Lin, let’s get Kailyn out of here and I would like to have a word.”

Blindly, I followed them using seismic sense.

“Tarrlok’s playing you, and I don’t want to see you get hurt,” Tenzin explained, and I was relieved that someone else had their suspicions about the Water Tribe’s councilman.

“I know what I’m doing – and the risks that come with it,” Lin spat.

“In that case, I am going to be by your side during the match.”

“You don’t need to babysit me,” she growled, and glared at Tenzin.

“It’s for Korra – I want to make sure she’s safe,” Tenzin explained, casting the woman before him a meaningful look.

Lin threw her hands up and huffed, “Do what you want! It’s not like I’ve ever been able to stop you before. Come along, Kailyn, we’re leaving.”

My head was still spinning, so I could not even be surprised that she had called me by name for the first time. I began to follow her out of City Hall when the Avatar trotted up to us.

“Excuse me, Chief Beifong, I wanted to thank you for your help,” the Avatar said, but the esteemed chief of police kept walking towards the front doors.

“Wait here,” she instructed, and then ducked into an office.

I was getting my breathing under control and I could no longer hear my hearbeat pounding. I leaned against the wall as I rubbed at my aching temples.

“Ah, Kailyn, just who I was hoping to see!” Tarrlok called out.

My father and Tarrlok did not call one another friends – they were reluctant colleagues by neither of their choosing. My father did not approve of the tactics the latter used to get what he wanted. A cutthroat, career politican, I believe my father called him. My father’s dislike was shared by me, and so I narrowed my eyes as he stopped in front of me.

“I merely wanted to give you my condolences to you – your father was a…great man. I am sure his death has pained you greatly – and to see it all firsthand and not be able to do anything-”

My chin trembled as I fought back the tears – sad and angry – and bowed my head to hide them from the man. How dare he?

“Hey! What are you saying to her?!”

Tarrlok and my head snapped to one side to see the source. It was the boy – from the rally – and he was steadily making his way towards us.

“I was expressing my sympathy at her loss,” Tarrlok lied.

“Maybe you should check your bedside manner then, because she looks like you’re about to hit her!” the young man argued.

“Good day.”

“Can’t say the same,” I ground out.

“Hey, are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” I dismissed.

“That Tarrlok seems like one mean dude, but he helped us out,” he mused, “He caused my friend Korra a lot of trouble, too, a while back.” With an amusing show of attempted charm, he said, “So, my name is Bolin.”

“My name is Kailyn Hsiao.”

“You seem familiar. Have I seen you around the pro-bending gym or in the crowd at the arena?”

“No, I am not much a pro-bending fan-”

“-Wait! I remember you – you tied up at Amon’s feet at…at the rally.”

Lin appeared seemingly out of nowhere, shoving Bolin out of the way. She wrapped a strong arm around my shoulders and herded me out of City Hall towards her Satomobile. My mind was reeling that for a moment, I did not panic at her touch. But that well ingrained instinct took hold of me, and I ducked out of her hold.

“You okay?”

I nodded, hiding behind my hair, and wrapped my arms around myself. “Would you drop me off at the ferry?” I asked softly.

“Sure,” she grunted. She glanced at me periodically as she drove us through the city to the docks. She pulled up and shifted the car into neutral; she thrust some yuans at me to cover the fare and she caught me by the arm – sending my heart racing. “Look, should I contact your mother? Would you rather stay with her?” she demanded.

I had to get away from here – collect myself before I fell to pieces in front of her – one of the strangers that surrounded me. I yanked my arm out of her grasp and kept myself together long enough to mumble the lie, “That won’t be necessary. My mother is dead.”

I slammed the car door shut; Lin wasted no time in driving off – burning her tyres out.

* * *

I sighed, watching her disappear from my view, and made my way to the ferry to take me to Air Temple Island. I looked out at Yue Bay as I walked along the boarding plank, taking a seat along the portside. I let my head fall between my knees.

“Get motion sick?” the ferryman wondered.

“Something like that,” I remarked faintly, and tangled my fingers in my hair to cradle my head. I felt the ferry slowly start off and carry me towards my newfound haven.

“Hey! Kailyn’s back!” Ikki exclaimed over her shoulder as she saw me walk off the ferry once it made port.

I smiled as the young airbenders crowded around me, never staying one place for long as they did this odd, synchronous flurry about me.

“Kailyn, I didn’t expect to see you here today,” Pema announced, wordlessly asking what I was doing on the island so soon.

“Just needed a break from the city,” I misled with a laugh.

“I was just reminding the kids that they have their studies to get to – just because their benders doesn’t mean they get to miss school,” Pema chided.

I was thankful that the children would be occupied – that meant that I could be alone. “Better get to it,” I urged, playfully shooing them away despite their vocal protests.

I watched them wander into their home under Pema’s watchful eye, smiling and waving when any of them glanced back. Once they were out of sight, I followed the footpath down to the shore of the island. I had found this secluded spot on the island my first night here after my father’s murder; it was hidden from view when you weren’t standing on the shore and the tide hid any sound from the rest of the island.

My fragile resolve shattered when I was cloaked in solitude. I let out a raging cry as I fell to my knee. The earth beneath me cracked like brittle glass and gouges tore away with each strike from my fist into the yielding element. On all fours, I let my forehead rest on the ground – taking solace in the one constant that always been a part of me.

The earth accepted the tears I gave, without dismissal or condemnation. I poured out my pain and grief, and it took them all without protest. I gave and gave until I felt hollow; for the first time in weeks, I felt empty with nothing to feel. It was apathetic bliss. I smoothed away the destruction I had caused in my fit, and silently made my way to the pagoda where Tenzin often meditated.

I enjoyed the cherry blossom trees that swayed in the coastal breeze as I walked up the hill. Passing through the entryway, I took a seat in the centre of the pagoda’s floor and breathed deeply; the air rustled through my hair. I smiled when I felt the pitter patter of falling petals. I fell into my calm mind with a deep breath and pressed the knuckles of my fists together – parallel to my abdomen. I succumbed to the melody of the earth beneath me.

* * *

“Kailyn.”

I came out of my meditation with a sharp breath and looked over my shoulder to see Tenzin standing at the entrance.

“Lin asked me to bring you with me to the arena,” he explained with a gentle smile.

“How long have I been out here?” I asked, slowly rising to my feet.

“A few hours, according to Pema. I wish Korra had the same desire and success at meditation during our training,” he mused wistfully.

“I learned how to listen a long time ago, you know that,” I reminded him softly.

Tenzin said nothing as we walked to the courtyard where Oogi was waiting. I waved to the children, whose heads popped out of a window to bid me farewell – loudly.

“You’re missed here,” he mused kindly.

“I miss it, too.”


	3. Chapter Three

The pro-bending arena had been turned into a veritable fortress. Countless patrols in intersecting routes that shifted frequencies were crawling around every visible space. Tenzin and I found Lin standing in one of the corridors leading to the stadium seating.

“Where would you like me to be?” I asked the woman softly.

“Out of the way,” she snapped.

I started to glare but dismissed my irritation and took a seat on the end of the row behind her right shoulder. Tenzin came up to her side, and they began to talk faintly with one another. At the end of the conversation, I saw how her features softened around the airbender considerably.

Interesting.

“Chief Beifong?” I began, and I knew that I had her attention I continued, “I wanted to apologise for my behaviour at the docks. I was raised to behave better.”

Lin eyed me suspiciously, but it was Tenzin who said, “Apology accepted.” As I turned away to take my seat, I heard him murmur, “Remember, Lin? Less abrasive.”

* * *

The Fire Ferret’s match against the Wolfbats was a farce. The former was sitting turtleducks, thanks to the bribed officials and cheap shots by the latter. I snorted in amusement when Tenzin shouted such and gesticulated wildly while Lin looked at him wryly.

“Go Korra!” I cheered when the Avatar thoroughly trounced Tahno, clipping him under his jaw and sending him flying off the raised solo fighting arena.

However, the victory was short lived; the Wolfbats used every purchased advantage to the max, and the Fire Ferrets were sent careening into the pool below.

“Anyone else want to scrap with the champs?” Tahno challenged the crowds.

Lin cried out and fell to the ground as a masked man electrocuted her from behind. Tenzin came to her defense, but soon suffered the same from another. I dove behind the group of people in front of me, who had jumped to their feet in their terror, and slowly began to make my way towards Lin’s prone figure.

My heart stuttered when I saw Amon stride across the pro-bending arena with a group of Equalists at his back. The former took the Wolfbats’ bending with ease, and I too easily recalled how that would have been me if not for Avatar Korra.

“I believe I have your attention, benders of Republic City. So – once again – it seems the Wolfbats are your pro-bending champions. It seems fitting that you celebrate three bullies who cheated their way to victory,” Amon proclaimed into the microphone that he procured. He pointed at the crowd in accusation and continued, “Because every day, you threaten and abuse your fellow non-bending citisens just like the Wolfbats did to their opponents tonight. Those men were supposedly the best in the bending world, and yet it only took a few moments for me to cleanse them of their impurity.

“Let this be a warning to all you benders out there – if any of you stand in my way, you will meet the same fate. Now to my followers, for years the Equalists have been forced to hide in the shadows… but no longer. For centuries, benders have possessed an unnatural advantage over ordinary people. But thankfully, modern technology has provided us with a way to even out the playing field.”

I glanced at the Equalists that stood before me; I saw the sparks of electricity crackle menacingly at the spectators at their mercy.

“Now anyone can hold the power of a chi blocker in their hand. My followers, I will not rest until the entire city achieves equality, and once that goal is achieve – we will equalise the rest of the world! The Revolution has begun!” Amon declared, and thrust his hand up into the air.

“I wanna go home!”

My attention turned to the little boy that was clinging to his father, burying his face to shy away from the Equalists. He was standing right in front of one of the snarling gloves that flared to life. I slammed my hands onto the ground, and the ground beneath the Equalists loosened until they trapped in place up to their shoulders. My actions were drowned out by the explosions that detonated at Amon’s gesture.

I looked back to the arena and saw Amon ascending the airship that hovered over the stadium. Avatar Korra erupted from the waters below, enclosed in a massive water cyclone. However, the water did not propel her to the height needed to catch Amon and she began to fall through the air.

“Lin!” Tenzin called out hoarsely as the chief of police catapulted into the air by her cables. She soared through the air with the ease of an airbender; she shot out a cable that coiled around the Avatar’s waist. Shifted her body, she launched the Avatar towards the airship.

“Kailyn!” Tenzin warned.

I caught a flicker of movement out of my peripheral vision and saw an Equalist advancing on me. I dropped low to the ground to avoid the glove on his hand. I stepped aside as Tenzin sent the extremist flying backwards to smash into a far wall. We did not turn away until we saw that the woman was unconscious.

“Will they be all right?” I wondered, eyes cast up to the glass, domed roof. I flinched when a flash of electricity burst – hoping it wasn’t Lin under its power.

“Korra and Lin can take care of themselves. Help me evacuate the arena,” Tenzin assured.

As I ushered people out, another piece of the ceiling broke. I cried out when I saw that it was Avatar Korra. Tenzin began to gather air to buffer her fall, but a metal cable emerged from the smoke with Lin following it. The latter swung the two of them to the main aisle of the arena stands just ahead of us. Tenzin and I reached them just as Lin was helping the Avatar to her feet.

Despite her eyes trying to say otherwise, Lin looked like she was barely able to keep herself upright. “Are you okay, kid?” she asked the Avatar. The latter nodded and looked to the retreating airship from the smouldering remains of the stadium. “Looks like we lost this one,” Lin confessed darkly.

* * *

Lin remained long after everyone else had gone. “Can’t believe I fell for it,” she muttered, peridot eyes on the shattered ceiling.

I raised my head to regard her. “For what it’s worth, I think that you showed Amon that there are still people willing to stand up to him,” I spoke softly.

“Well look at what my pride got me – I failed the city.”

“Not entirely,” I reminded her, “There are a handful of Equalists that were apprehended, and your men did their best to keep the casualties to a minimum.” I shrugged when she shot me a glare and sighed, “Let’s go back to your home.”

I walked quietly beside her as we made our way out of the arena and to her car. I knew the rarity of silence. When Lin started up the car, I toed off my shoes and sight as I wiggled my toes. She looked at me with a bemused expression, which I returned with a wan grin. “Not a fan of shoes,” I admitted, which caused Lin to take a long look at me.

“Where did you learn a thing like that?” she wondered.

“Since I was little. I loved mud between my toes,” I whispered, then turned away to look out at the city. It seemed so peaceful at this hour – caught between the end of night and the rise of first light – which did not match the sombre mood that had taken root. I swallowed back the lump that had formed in my throat when I saw the turnoff for my home; I forced myself to look away.

As we came through the front door, Lin stalked off in the direction of her bedroom and I padded into the kitchen. I searched the sparse cupboards and made a note to go to the market in the morning as I grabbed the bottle of cognac and a tumbler from the liquor cabinet. I set the aforementioned on the table for Lin to partake and went to her guest room.

I grabbed the two towels folded on the chest at the foot of the bed and a clean shift to change into. I padded into the bathroom and turned on the shower; I stepped under the spray and watched the dust be washed away. I hesitated for a moment, but then used some of Lin’s shampoo and condition. I breathed deep when the gentle notes of violet, ginger, and lemon pervaded through my senses. Clean from the tumultuous day, I turned off the water and did my nightly ablutions.

Once back in the bedroom, I dug through my satchel for my comb. I smiled faintly as I dragged my thumb across the smooth spine and realised that several of the teeth had been broken off. I settled in the window to comb through my tangled tendrils.

The faint blare of the ever-present traffic and the gentle hum of the power units seemed to be the only sound in the city. It seemed…peaceful was the wrong word when you knew the reality of Republic City and its scintillating energy. It reminded me of what my father described as the deep breath that tried its hardest to hold off the inevitable collapse.

“You’re more pensive than Tenzin,” Lin announced, filling the doorway as she leaned against the frame.

“I think he’d be offended to be second best,” I mused wryly.

“You all right?”

“Why wouldn’t I be?” I wondered, vague.

“You know damn well why.”

She meant being in the same room as the man who murdered my father…who also came close to stripping me of my bending. “No, I am not,” I confessed, and sagged against the window frame to hide the tremors.

“Always the diplomat.”

“As I was raised to be…yet it’s the only things I have left – what my father taught me, Chief Beifong.”

“Lin,” she corrected, “You and I are stuck together for who know how long. I think that is grounds to be on a first name basis. But only you – no giving the Avatar or her blockhead friends any ideas.”

“Very well, Lin, thank you.”


	4. Chapter Four

The following morning, I awoke to an empty apartment. I rose from bed and found a note taped to my door.

_Go to Air Temple Island. I’ll pick you up when I can._

_\- L_

I changed into a grey tunic and breeches, then took the tram to the docks. The pier was ablaze with whispers of the Equalists and their revolution. I kept my head low, and I weaved my way through the crowd; my head throbbed from the constant drum of footsteps and cries around the fish market. I exhaled the breath that I had not realised that I been holding in as I stepped onto the ferry. On a wooden boat, I could sense little – it was a reprieve.

I looked to the statue of Avatar Aang as I was carried to Air Temple Island. What would one of the founders of Republic City think of it now? I was lost in my thoughts that I did not realised we had docked until an Air Acolyte gently called out to me.

“Pardon me,” I apologised, and quickly got off the ferry.

As I walked up the hill towards the temple, Jinora trotted up to my side. “Hi,” she greeted warmly.

“Hello, Jinora. How are you?”

“Fine – except Ikki and Meelo are back to annoying me since Korra and her friends left. Why are you here? My dad is at City Hall…”

“Does the White Lotus have a training yard that I could use?”

“Yes, I can take you – follow me,” Jinora answered.

I smiled in thanks and followed the young airbender to a fenced courtyard. The White Lotus were broken up into groups, running drills and training maneuvers. “Thank you, Jinora,” I bid the young woman, and padded over to an unoccupied corner to train on my own. I toed off my shoes to get a complete feel of the earth around me and dropped into horse stance. Sliding my lead foot along the earth, I brought my right hand up, open palm to the sky and bent at the elbow, while my left was positioned parallel to my abdomen.

A pillar of earth rose up to shoulder height in front of me; shifting my weight to the foot in front of me, I swung my left leg out and kicked through it. I smiled, satisfied, at the rubble that rolled about. I crushed the pillar into fist sized boulders and sent them in a volley to crash into the targets positioned on the far side of the courtyard.

“Hey, kid!” a White Lotus guard called out, “You wanna spar?”

I nodded and made my way over to the sparring ring that the groups were now surrounding.

“Cartho, you’re up,” the same guard, who I assumed was their superior, ordered.

I dropped into a more casual horse stance and brought my fists up to my eye level to wait for Cartho to make his first move. I felt the earth awaken beneath my feet; I spun on one foot and launched off the pillar of earth that erupted beneath me. I leaned back to tuck into a back hand off to land on my feet and dug my heel into the ground.

As expected, Cartho side-stepped and so I repeated the same movement that I had started my training with. Except this time, the pillar came out at an angle and caught Cartho in the shoulder. I sprinted up to him and loomed over him.

“Yield,” Cartho groaned.

“Po! Spar!”

I felt the heat radiating from the earth beneath Po’s feet – a firebender, then. A challenge. I danced about on the balls of my feet as the bursts of flame snaked past me. I punched the air twice. Two fist sized boulders dislodged from the ground and hurtled towards the firebender.

Po narrowly dodged my counter by using flames to propel him into the air. I heard the heated crackle before I saw the oncoming flames and I dropped flat to the ground. I smirked as I felt the vibrations of Po landing back on the ground – just out of arm’s reach. I heaved myself upright and darted forward, somersaulted, and then swung my leg out.

The top of my foot connected to the fragile juncture of Po’s knees and so he was sent sprawling to the ground. I got back on my feet and held out a fist while its mate was parallel to my jaw.

“I yield.”

“Looks like you need a challenge, kid. Yantho – Aro!”

The two benders stepped towards me, and I knew that one of them was another earthbender. I took a defensive stance, listening to the notes of the earth and planned on letting themselves exert themselves so that I could do minimal effort and take the victory.

The waterbender struck first; I dodged the attack by sliding across the earth like it was ice and then rushed the bender. I hooked an arm around their back and knocked the waterbender off their feet; I brought the heel of my palm up and felt his nose crunch. Blood spurted from the waterbender’s broken nose as he staggered out of the sparring ring.

The earthbender sent a charging pillar careening towards me. I punched through it and slammed by foot down; two pillars came up beneath his feet and sent him careening out of the ring.

I relaxed out of stance, breathing hard, and held an arm against my sweaty brow. A small crowd had gathered beside the White Lotus to watch me spar; Tenzin and Lin stood side by side, and the airbender children were gathered around their father.

“Well done, Kailyn,” Tenzin praised as I trotted up to them, and I did not fail to notice the look he shared with Lin.

“Thank you, Tenzin,” I replied and bowed to the airbending master as Earth Kingdom custom dictated. I turned my attention to Lin and asked, “Are we going back to the city?” I panted, trying to catch my breath, and come down from the adrenalin rush.

“Actually-” Tenzin began, taking up that fatherly tone that warned for me an impending lecture.

“-Tenzin thinks that I should bring you along when we go to the Sato Estate,” Lin interjected, ever poignant.

“Why are you going to the Sato Estate?” I asked, brow furrowed.

“Korra overheard Hiroshi Sato while he was on the phone and has reason to believe that he may be a collaborator for the Equalists.”

I regarded the two of them incredulously. “You mean to tell me that _Hiroshi Sato_ …is suspected of working with terrorist activities?” I stated.

“Someone is supplying Equalists with those gloves and all other leads are dead ends. I have to be thorough,” Lin ground out, clearly not wanting an argument out of this.

“Kailyn, I understand that you’ve known Hiroshi your entire life. But someone with the material and means is funding Amon,” Tenzin said gently, and his kind eyes met mine in sympathy, “I am asking you to help us – to prove a man innocent or help bring down the man responsible for your father’s murder.”

“Okay, what do I need to do?” I acquiesced.

“Clearly you can fight,” Lin chuckled.

“Shall we?” I joked, reaching back to braid my hair into a thick plait.

* * *

Avatar Korra looked surprised at my presence among the metalbending officers with Lin and Tenzin. “Er, hi,” the Avatar greeted me lamely.

“Hello.”

“Let’s go,” Lin ordered, and motioned for us to board the airship.

“So,” Korra began, “I heard you’re staying with Beifong.”

“You heard correctly,” I replied softly.

“Bolin told me,” she added, and nervously rubbed the back of her neck.

I drummed my fingers nervously on the railing and glanced at the Avatar. I looked away when she snuck a glance at me as well and walked up to Lin. “What are you expecting?” I asked lowly.

“At this point – anything. Have you been to the Sato Mansion?”

“Yes, countless times.”

“Chief, we are descending now – what are your orders?”

“Stay back,” Lin ordered, “I doubt Sato will put up a fight – even if he is guilty.”

Once we all got off the airship, Tenzin and Lin took point at the head of the metalbenders as the latter opened the estate doors. The Avatar lingered with her startled friends and Asami in the front room while Tenzin and Lin made their way up the stairs. Hiroshi was in his study when Lin and Tenzin opened the door.

“Chief Beifong, Councilman, ah – Kailyn. Forgive me, I’ve been meaning to reach out to you,” Hiroshi announced in greeting.

I ignored the condolences and kept my eyes on the floor.

“Mr. Sato, we just have a few follow up questions for you,” Lin began.

At that point, Asami opened the door and stormed into the study. “My father is innocent! Just because we’re not benders doesn’t mean we support those awful Equalists!” she exclaimed, and ignored Mako and Avatar Korra’s arrival.

“Equalists? Is that what this is about? I assure you – I have nothing to do with those radicals,” Hiroshi assured.

“Yeah! You don’t know what you’re talking about!” Mako added, shooting a meaningful glare at Korra.

Avatar Korra’s demeanour darkened and she pointed a finger at Hiroshi. “I overheard you on the phone,” she explained with her impatience making a hard edge to her voice, “You said the Cabbage Corps investigation bought you time and you’re getting ready to strike! Explain that!”

Hiroshi laughed heartily, and explained glibly, “This is all just a misunderstanding – resulting from the Avatar’s overactive imagination. My number one competitor was knocked out of the game. It’s providing me an opportunity to _strike the market_ with a new line of Satomobiles. It’s just business – nothing nefarious.”

_Buh boom, swish. Buh boom boom swish_.

The slight change in Hiroshi’s pulse caused my eyes to snap up from the floor to regard him. He levelly returned my gaze, but he could not make me mistake the falter; Lin tilted her head to the side, then shared a glance at Tenzin.

“In order to put out suspicion to rest, might we have a look into your factories and warehouses?” Tenzin inquired.

Tenzin’s inquiry set Asami off all over again; she placed her hands on her hips with a loud sigh, and seemed more than ready to give us another verbal lashing. However, her father stopped her with a calm, raised hand.

“If you feel it’s necessary – you’re welcome to search all of Future Industries.”

“We’ll see ourselves out,” Lin murmured coolly, and none of the mansion’s residents protested. I fell into step with her as we filed out.

“Did you feel that?” I pressed, low enough so that she was the only who heard. When Lin regarded me with an impatient look. “Hiroshi’s pulse faltered when he was explaining what the Avatar overheard.”

Lin scowled, but said nothing. We boarded the airship once more, and it was then that I noticed Avatar Korra seemed a little defeated. I walked up to her and sat on the bench beside her. “If it’s any consolation, I think something isn’t right.”

“That makes one person beside me,” she replied grimly, “I can _feel_ that Sato is up to something.”


	5. Chapter Five

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to all who have bookmarked this or left kudos! It warms my little fanfic writer's heart! Enjoy the next batch of chapters. <3 KSS

We searched for hours – through every crate, parcel, and package – but came out with nothing to show for it. I winced softly at the mayhem of reporters gathering outside the warehouse that were going to be on the hunt for Lin’s blood. They were already running smear campaigns with Tarrlok’s help to cast public doubt at her capability to be chief of police. Lin squared her shoulders and jutted her chin at the onslaught and said nothing, but I knew that it paid a heavy price on her.

“I can’t believe we didn’t find anything,” Korra groaned.

“It would appear Hiroshi is innocent,” Lin grunted, but did not seem convinced by her own observation.

Asami and Mako walked up to us, and I could feel Asami’s outrage rolling off her like thunderclouds. “Okay – you did your search. Now you can all leave,” she demanded, eyes blazing.

I refrained from smirking when Lin met Asami with a glare of her own. “Hmph,” Lin grunted. Mako motioned for Korra to step aside so that they could have a word in private.

“Kay,” Asami called out, “You know my father – we practically grew up together – our dads were best friends. Surely, you don’t believe what they’re trying to accuse him of?”

“I don’t know,” I lied, and brushed past her to stand next to Lin. I refused to meet Asami’s stare and kept my attention fixed forward. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Mako and Asami walk back to the car that had brought them from the Sato Estate.

“Hiroshi and your father were good friends?” Lin inquired, “Are you comfortable being a part of the investigation?”

“I’m fine,” I assured her softly.

“I think you guys should hear this,” Korra announced, a slip of paper between her hands, “ _If you want to find the truth, meet me under the north end of the Silk Road Bridge at midnight_.”

* * *

“Do you not find this too convenient?” I asked Lin as I changed into a fresh set of clothes. I was preparing for anything, so I wore loose fitting garments and wrapped a headscarf around my head to conceal the lower half of my face.

“I would be a fool if I didn’t,” Line confessed, “But this is the only lead we may ever get.” She eyed my ensemble, dark and unassuming, and a flicker of approval flashed across her face. She disappeared into her room but came back after a few moments. “Here,” she said as she handed me what appeared to be a thick hair pin. At my confused look, she rolled her eyes and huffed, “It also serves as a knife – added protection. My mother made it for me, but I have always kept my hair too short.”

“Oh,” I said breathlessly, “Th-Thank you.”

“Let’s get a move on – it’s nearly midnight.”

* * *

We met Tenzin and Korra at the bridge, and the four of us warily trekked to the underside of the structure’s north end.

“Psst,” a voice called out from the shadows, “Over here.” A man, cloaked by the upturned collar of his coat the down-turned brim of his cap, emerged. “Listen, I joined the Equalists because I believed in what Amon said. I thought he could make lifer better for us non-benders, but I didn’t sight up for this…war.”

Lin seemed intrigued but kept her features neutral. “What do you have on Hiroshi Sato?” she pressed.

“He manufactured those gloves,” the worker explained, turning to fave us as he turned up the collar of coat to keep from being clearly seen in the dim light of the street lamps above us, “For the Equalists.”

“I knew it!” Korra exclaimed.

“And there are rumours he’s workin’ on something even better…some kind of weapon.”

Tenzin looked deep in thought and countered softly, “We searched all of Future Industries and found nothing.”

“That’s because he has a secret factory.”

I snorted, and the man glared at me, while Korra demanded, “Where?”

“It’s right under the Sato Mansion,” the man answered as if it were obvious.

My three companions were too deep in their own thoughts, so I was the only one that noticed the man’s sly departure. He vanished back into the shadows like smoke, and I got the feeling that we would never see him again. Something did not feel right, but I could not explain just what was so blaringly wrong to me.

“To the airship – now!” Lin barked, and took the lead.

We were quiet as we stepped aboard the airhship Lin ordered to await our arrival. The metalbenders eyed us coolly, and I took a seat beside Avatar Korra.

“Raiding the Sato Mansion is a risky move with Tarrlok breathing down your neck. If we’re wrong…” Tenzin warned Lin softly, coming to stand beside her.

“I know – I can kiss my job good bye. But protecting Republic City is all I care about. We can’t let Amon get his hands on this new weapon,” Lin protested resolutely.

Her tone of resignation conviction surprised me; I wondered what caused the chief of police to possess such devotion to her position. I turned my thoughts to Hiroshi Sat0, and I wondered if his wife’s murder was cause enough for him to join the Equalists. Yes, she meant the world to him, but could that make him be willing to end countless lives and break more families apart?

I got up from my seat and stood amongst the officer when the estate came into view. I adjusted the scarf so that it would stay in place. The metalbenders took up perimeter around us as we once more climbed up the front steps to the mansion.

Lin signaled to her officers to enter, and the front doors opened with a _bang_.

“What are you doing here?” Asami demanded.

“We have reason to believe that there’s a factory hidden below the mansion,” Lin explained.

“I think I would have noticed if there was a factory underneath my house,” Asami scoffed, “The lies you people come up with just to persecute my father. Kailyn, I can’t believe that you would think my father’s some – some villain! Have you ever seen signs of a factory?!”

I ignored Asami, and Tenzin asked gently, “Where is your father?”

“In his workshop – behind the house.”

We went out of the mansion; Asami, Mako, and Bolin trailed after us. Metalbenders guarded the area as we walked to the industrial make shed; one of the aforementioned kicked in the door, while several others entered ahead to secure the room.

Asami looked around the vacant workshop. “Dad? Hello?” she called out.

“Chief, the estate’s been secured – no one has left the workshop since we arrived,” an officer explained.

“Perhaps we just couldn’t see him leaving,” Lin remarked. She walked to the middle of the room, her hands came out to rest parallel to the floor at her hip, and the sole of her boot slid away as she raised her left leg high into the air. She slammed her foot into the ground; reverberating tremors shot through my own feet and raced up the length of my spine. I saw what she did with piercing clarity.

“There’s a tunnel beneath the workshop, running deep into the mountainside,” Lin announced.

“What?!” Asami hissed incredulously, “There’s no tunnel.”

Lin took her stance and with ease metalbent the metal flooring to reveal a flight of stairs that ended with a massive lift.

“I…don’t understand. There must be an explanation.”

“Maybe you don’t know everything about your father,” Korra supplied sympathetically.

“Officers,” Lin ordered, and pointed to the stairs, “Into the tunnel – be cautious.” When Asami, Mako, and Bolin made to follow, she barked, “Uh uh, you three stay up here. Officer Song, keep an eye on them.”

Korra and I followed the metalbenders down the stairs to board the lift. With a quiet groan, it carried us all deep into the earth. We followed the only path that led to a massive room. I shuddered at the large posters of Amon that loomed an entire wall.

Strange machines lined the other, and I ventured closure to inspect them. This must have been the supposed weapon that Hiroshi crafted for the Equalists. “Lin,” I called out, but my voice was lost in such a large space.

“Not your average backyard workshop,” Lin observed darkly.

Korra looked at one of the machines and noted, “And I’m guessing those are the new weapons.”

“Hiroshi was lying all right, but where is he? Tenzin mused, eyes darting about.


	6. Chapter Six

A rumble shook the ground beneath our feet as a metal shot up to cut off the way back to the lift. My breath was knocked out of my chest when a metal hand punched my stomach and sent me careening into the small group across the room.

“Kailyn!” Tenzin shouted as I cried out as I rose onto all fours.

As he helped me back onto my feet, Lin jumped towards the wall and tried to bend it. Nothing happened – not the slightest yield from the metal. Green lights ignited around us, and we had to shield our eyes from the sudden intensity.

“I’m afraid you won’t be able to metalbend that wall, Chief Beifong. It’s solid platinum,” Hiroshi’s voice sounded through a speaker. My heart dropped when I realised that all the machines within the factory were operational and surrounding us. “My mecha tanks are platinum as well,” Hiroshi gloated from the seat of a tank, “Not even your renowned mother could bend a metal so pure.”

“Hiroshi, I _knew_ you were a lying, no good Equalist!” Korra spat venomously, “Come out here and-”

“-And do what, young Avatar? Face the wrath of your bending? No, I think I’ll fight from inside here where my odds are a little more… _equal_.”

“That source was a set up! You lured us down here!” Lin seethed.

We were being pushed closer together, back to back, as the mecha tanks closed in around us.

“Guilty as charged,” Hiroshi quipped.

I stepped in front of Lin and looked up at Hiroshi, and my vision blurred with tears. “Why, Hiroshi? Why join the man who killed your best friend? My father would not want this – violence for violence’s sake makes only the innocent suffer,” I demanded softly.

“He was weak – weak from loving a broken thing like you! When he would not join me, Amon and I decided that he had to die.”

I stepped back, crashing into Lin as I did. “No, you’re lying – you wouldn’t!” I argued.

“Did you know that your father intended to have me arrested when I asked him to join the cause? I told him with your bending taken away – all the troubles he had faced when you were young would no longer present a threat! You brought shame to your family…you know this, Kailyn, I’m not the first person to tell you,” Hiroshi added. He fired off a grappler to seize me, but I sent a pillar of earth to intercept it.

The group of metalbenders took on two mecha tanks but were already struggling to keep it at bay. Another rolled in after them, so I hurried to their defense. I turned the floor beneath its tracks to sand so that it could not gain traction. The metalbenders hurled boulders at is to knock it over; I clapped my hands together and two wedges of earth shot up to trap it once it had fallen.

Lin sprinted forward, dodging a grappler with ease, and launched herself into the air. Wicked blades of metal slid out her vambraces as she landed on the head of the mecha tank. Without hesitating, she stabbed through the glass over and over at the Equalist manning the operations. The force of her blows sent the tank staggering backwards until it collapsed.

“Kailyn!” Korra warned, breaking me away from watching Lin.

Another grappler shot towards me – Hiroshi again. I flung boulders larger than my own body at him, and they were as effective as if they were paper to stop his approach. Korra shot burst of flame at the tank as she came to my defense. The fire did not even char the metal; it was only when Tenzin joined us that Hiroshi lost the ground that he had advanced.

The mecha tanks that still fought with the metalbenders wrapped around the latter’s own cables that ensnared them and sent a burst of electricity down the cables. The metalbenders cried out as their armour unknowingly turned against them and they all collapsed.

A grappler caught me by the waist in my distraction, and I could hear the oncoming crackle. I screamed as the volts coursed through my body and I felt myself fall through the air. I struggled to get back the breath that was knocked out of me and get back on my feet.

“I will take great pleasure in watching Amon take your bending,” Hiroshi declared, and his mecha tank’s arm reached out to take.

“Get away from her!”

My head turned sluggishly to the side, and I saw Lin sprinting towards me. She jumped into the air and brought both fists slamming down when she landed on the balls of her feet. The earth thundered with Lin’s wrath and sent Hiroshi reeling backwards. She attempted to land another hit, but she was snatched from behind by another tank and thrown across the room – she hit a metal support beam and did not stir from where she crumpled to the ground.

“No,” I gasped, and tried to get back on my feet but my arms trembled and could not even lift me off the ground.

Korra yelped just before she was slammed against a metal pipe.

“Korra!” Tenzin cried, and cushioned her fall. He crafted an airwheel to evade the mecha tanks and carry him across the room to the fallen Avatar. He fired off burst of air at his pursuers and leapt into the air. Just as he summoned a gale to him, Hiroshi shot a bolas disk.

The disk caught Tenzin right across the chest and cables shot out to bind him. Electricity sparked once the circuit had been completed, and Tenzin dropped limply.

I feigned unconsciousness, knowing that I would only have one chance to help us get away.

“Well, I’d say that was a near flawless test run. Load everyone into the transports and deliver them to Amon!” Hiroshi barked.

Beneath my outstretched hand that rested on the earth, I felt a hole open near one of the boilers and Mako and Bolin’s heads popped out of it.

I dared to crack an eye and sneak a glance at our opponents. Hiroshi and his men had their backs to me as they loaded the metalbenders into the van. I slipped away, crawling on my hands and balls of my feet, to get to Mako and Bolin. We crept along the shadows to get to Tenzin, Korra, and Lin. Mako hoisted the Avatar on his back, and Bolin and I followed suit with Tenzin and Lin. Lin groaned faintly in my ear, and I frantically shooshed her.

“Not so fast, boys – Kailyn,” Hiroshi growled, and his gloves crackled to life.

“Supporting our team – supporting the Avatar… it was all just a big cover,” Mako growled, amber eyes blazing.

“Yes, and the most difficult part was watching my daughter traipse around with a firebending street rat like you!” Hiroshi snarled, and he and Amon’s right hand advanced.

“Dad, stop!”

I could have cried at Asami’s arrival, and Hiroshi turned to face his daughter.

“Why?” she demanded softly.

Hiroshi bowed his head and confessed, “Sweetie, I wanted to keep you out of this as long as I could. But now you know the truth – please forgive me. These people – these _benders_ – they took away your mother… the love of my life. They’ve ruined the world, but with Amon we can fix it and build a perfect world together. We can help people just like us everywhere!” He took off one of his Chi Blocker gloves and held it out for Asami to take. “Join me, Asami,” he pleaded.

Asami took a hesitant step forward as she looked at her father. She eyes the glove – her hand trembled as it slowly reached out – but she took it. What little hope I had died out when she put it on.

“No,” Mako protested, voice soft in disbelief.

“I love you, Dad,” Asami murmured, and then lashed out at her father. As Hiroshi collapsed, Amon’s lieutenant lurched forward to overpower her. Asami easily dodged his assault and used his own kali stick against him.

Lin began to stir, and I carefully eased her back on her feet. “You’re all right,” slurred. She straightened with a groan, and it was then I saw the tendril of blood dripping down her hairline.

“Let’s get out of here!” Mako exclaimed as the tanks took notice of us. We all dropped into the tunnel Bolin and Mako had come through, and the former closed it behind him.

I caught Lin by the waist when she stumbled and took on most of weight as we huddled together in the darkness.

Mako crafted a flame to dance above his palm and guided us through their makeshift tunnel.

“To the airship!” Tenzin urged.

We hurried to the awaiting airship, and I immediately guided Lin into a bench as the ship took flight. I kneeled beside her, brushing away the bloody strand of hair that clung to her clammy forehead. 

“Don’t mollycoddle me,” she snapped, and turned her face away from me to add softly, “My metalbenders are on their way to Amon, and it’s all my fault. Tarrlok’s right – I’ve failed as chief. First thing in the morning, I’m handing in my resignation.”

“No!” Tenzin argued, “You can’t give up like this!”

“Don’t give Tarrlok what he wants,” I begged. 

Lin slowly sat upright, wincing as she did. “I’m not giving up. I’m gonna find my officers and take Amon down. But I’m gonna do it my way – _outside the law_ ,” she growled, which caused Tenzin to look at her with a furrowed brow.

When he started to protest, I stepped away to give them privacy for their intense discussion. I leaned against a railing to look out at the skyline. 

“You okay?” Bolin asked, appearing at my side.

“Sore, but I’ll be fine in a few days,” I lied, forcing a smile on my face.

“I can’t believe Mr. Sato is working for Amon,” he sighed, and rubbed the back of his neck.

“Neither can I,” I agreed, and I wiped away the tear that fell from the corner of my eye.

“What’s wrong?” he pressed.

“I’m the reason my father’s dead,” I sobbed, clearing my throat when my voice cracked, “Because he chose to protect me.”

"Oh, I’m sorry.”

"Thank you,” I mumbled.

The airship took us back to the police station; Oogi was waiting for Tenzin and the others to go to Air Temple Island. The airbender lingered, hovering above Lin so much that she waved him off.

“I’m fine!” she snapped.

“Lin,” Tenzin argued, “You need to go to the hospital!”

“I said I am fine!” she dismissed, but I saw how she struggled to keep herself upright.

“Let Kailyn take you,” he urged softly, “She is ‘mollycoddling’ because she cares.”

I ducked my head and pretended to have not heard their conversation when Lin glanced at me over her shoulder. I kept my eyes fixed on the ground and tried not to flush under Lin’s scrutiny. She walked to the control panel and brought the receiver up to her lips and began to speak lowly.

“Take care of yourself, Kailyn,” Bolin announced, then added slowly, “Can I…give you a hug?”

I was at a loss for words; no one had ever… _asked_ to touch me before – especially not for something as what they considered a simple hug. I thought about it for a moment, my cheeks flushed, before I nodded wordlessly. He practically enveloped me – his frame so much larger than my own – and I felt myself smiling at nothing in particular. “You too,” I replied lamely.

“See you around, yeah?”

“Yeah.”

Lin haltingly made her way down the ramp while clutching at her right arm close to her chest. I snatched the keys to her car from her and explained after receiving a glare, “You are in no state to drive, and I have my license. We need to get to the hospital.”

“No, I-” she began to protest.

I met her glare firmly and interjected, “No negotiations. You’re getting looked over by a healer.”


	7. Chapter Seven

I helped – as much as she would allow – her get into the passenger seat. The drive was silent, as always, but when I snuck a glance at her I panicked. She was slumped against the window and appeared to be unconscious. I pressed my foot down hard on the accelerator.

“Lin?” I asked, and bit my lip when she did not respond – not even a twitch.

I wove through traffic, ignoring the blaring horns and loud curses fired at my direction, and screech in front of the nearest hospital. I draped Lin’s arm across my shoulder and hauled her through the front door. “I need help!” I cried out.

Three healers came to collect Lin and loaded her onto a gurney.

“What happened?” one of them asked me.

“We were attacked by Equalists – Lin, er, Chief Beifong was thrown. She has a head wound and lost consciousness – was clutching her right arm as well,” I explained breathlessly.

Two healers began to take her down the hall and I made to follow them, but the remaining healer barred me from passing with a gentle arm.

“You look half dead yourself. Let’s get you checked out, then I can see about you visiting the chief when visiting hours are on.”

“I can’t leave her-”

“- She will be well looked after, I promise,” she assured me, and lead me away, “Let me take a look at your arm.”

I glanced down and saw viscid, burned and bruised, flesh trailing down the length of my arm. How did I not feel anything? I followed the healer into an examination room, sitting on the bed that she motioned to. I clenched my teeth when she pulled away charred cloth that had been seared to my skin. She examined the wounds as she ran fresh water into a basin.

“Second and third degree burns,” she murmured, “There will be scarring – no matter what I do.”

“I understand.”

She summoned the water and directed it to envelope my arm. The latter hummed softly as it began glow, and it leeched the pain out of my arm. I relaxed, for what felt like first time in weeks, and swayed in my seat at the sudden wave of exhaustion.

“I’ve done all I can for now. You need to take it easy and let the new skin heal – no bending for several weeks,” she explained, “What’s your name? Is there someone I can call?”

I shook my head in answer to her second question and replied, “Hsiao, Kailyn Hsiao.”

“Any relation to late Councilman Hsiao?”

“…My father…”

“My condolences, your father was an admired man by the healers. He helped get funding many a time. What’s your connection to Chief Beifong?”

“She’s my guardian,” I explained softly, “Can I see her?”

“Let’s see if she’s able to receive visitors.”

She guided me down the hallway, and I was assaulted by the bright light and sterile air. She stopped me when we arrived before the third door on the left and held up a halting hand. “I’ll go in and check things out,” she announced.

I took post along the bare wall, wincing as my injured arm throbbed. I tapped my foot against the floor to get a rough idea of who was all in the room – I was lucky we were on the ground floor.

Two healers worked over Lin at her bedside while the healer that had seen to my care approached them. The latter’s voice was too soft, but I could catch pieces of the conversation when the other spoke.

“Hairline fracture…others too…”

My healer motioned in my direction as she continued.

The other healer threw up his hands in defeat and then returned his attention to Lin.

I turned my head back to face the wall opposite me as my healer exited the room. “Can I see her?” I pressed.

“She’s weak – very weak, but we’ve got her stable. Do not try to speak with her, she needs her rest…and we’re making an exception to visiting hours because of your circumstances.”

I nodded at the demand for my best behaviour and followed her into the room.

The first thing that struck me was this was the first time that I had seen Lin out of her uniform. She looked…human. Approachable, almost. Next, I observed how pale she appeared against the cream-coloured linens. The final thing was the thick bandages wrapped around her chest and arm. I dropped unceremoniously into the chair at her bedside and reached out to take hold of Lin’s hand.

My gaze did not wander from Lin – even to regard the healers who finished their tasks around me. Only when I was alone did I let my head fall to rest against the back of Lin’s cold hand. I had only felt so vulnerable a handful of times, but I never imagined the immovable Lin Beifong to be brought to such fragility.

It terrified me.

Why did she protect me? I was a person of little significance to her – a nuisance thrust upon her by Tenzin – yet she so ardently defended me from Hiroshi. I had no relation to her, yet she took me under her protection anyway. I raised my head and reached up to brush back the strand of hair that had fallen into her face. This time, she did not recoil from my touch but continued to sleep. What little energy that kept me awake sputtered out as I continued my vigil, so I closed my eyes…for just a few moments.

* * *

I awoke to a healer entering the room. I blinked, stunned, by the light trickling through the blinds. “What time is it?” I slurred.

“Eight in the morning, you should go home… get some food, a change of clothes, then come back. I don’t want to see you back sooner than an hour.”

I grumbled under my breath but did as the healer instructed. I got into Lin’s car and drove back to her home. I entered using the key taken from her uniform pocket and dropped onto the couch.

Practical, and uncomfortable, as I had expected it to be.

I did not remain idle for long; I rose and hesitantly made my way into Lin’s room. You could bounce a bronze yuan against her bedding. I searched through the small wardrobe and withdrew a pair of linen pyjamas. I tucked them under my arm as I went to the guest bedroom. I tucked the aforementioned into my satchel along with the book that I was reading. As instructed, I changed my clothes, but deviated by brushing my teeth and hair without breakfast before going back to the hospital.

The healer threw her hands up in exasperation but said nothing as she stalked out of Lin’s room when she saw me back – and so soon. I looked at Lin as I made my way over to the radio; I tuned in to the news station and took my seat at Lin’s bedside.

“ _Republic City is at war! Following another defeat at the Equalists, Lin Beifong resigns as chief of police! We transmit live to Lieutenant Saikhan’s inductions as the new chief of police_ ,” Shiro Shinobi announced.

“ _It was an honour serving under Chief Beifong for so many years, and I wish her a speedy recovery. It is with great humility that I take her place as the new chief of police._ ”

I scoffed at Saikhan’s words, “Right. Great humility – you were panting after the position for _years_.”

“ _Republic City is facing a threat like none the world has ever seen, but there is one man who’s been effective against Amon’s revolution – Councilman Tarrlok. That is why for all matters involving the Equalists, I will report directly to him. The police department will lend any and all available resourced to the councilman and his task force until we quell this insurgency!_ ”

“What?!” someone exclaimed from the doorway.

I shot up out of my chair to take position between Lin and the door. I prepared to bend, but stopped when I saw that it was Bolin, who was flanked by the healer who had treated me.

“No bending!” she shrieked before Bolin could respond, “Not even twelve hours and you’re going against medical orders!”

“Don’t be mad at Kailyn – it was my fault!” Bolin protested politely, the nurse waving him off as she stalked down the hall, “I shouldn’t have startled her. How’s the chief doing?”

“She hasn’t woken up,” I answered faintly, “Bolin, what are you doing here?”

“I came to make sure you were all right – those mecha tanks did a number on everyone,” he mumbled, a blush coming to his cheeks.

“Oh.”

The lump across Bolin’s chest began to squirm, and I laughed when a fire ferrett’s head emerged from his collar. “Pabu decided that he was required for this mission. This is Pabu, by the way.”

“Well, hello there,” I said to Pabu warmly, and clicked my tongue against my teeth while I reached out my hand.

Pabu cocked his head as he regarded me before he sprang out of Bolin’s shirt and scurried up my arm. I laughed softly when the fire ferret butted his head against my jaw.

“Aren’t you a charmer?” I teased, and he trilled back at me.

“Haven’t seen him take to someone like that in a while.”

I smiled and reached up to pet Pabu, who chirped happily at the attention/ “How is Asami?” I asked faintly.

“Pretty shaken up – she wanted to come see you, but Tenzin advised against it to give you time to come to terms with it all.”

“I wish I could go back and change everything,” I confessed.

“Asami told me a little about your dad – he’s sound like an amazing guy.”

“He was…”

‘You must be a lot like him then – and the airbender kids told me what a strong bender you are. Did your dad teach you?”

“No, my father wasn’t a bender…and those kids are prone to exaggeration, so you should take everything they say with a grain of salt – especially Meelo,” I belied, cheeks burning.

“Nonsense!” Bolin dismissed, “Korra told me you sparred with some of the White Lotus guards and _thrashed_ ‘em!”

“A stroke of luck.” I returned to Lin’s bedside and idly scratched Pabu under the chin. I could feel the overwhelming emotions that started to boil within in my chest. “I would like to be alone, Bolin. I’m sorry – I know you’ve come a long way, with a stowaway, but I’m quite tired,” I confessed.

“Oh!” Bolin gushed, “Right! I’ll just…take care, Kailyn.” Pabu scampered down from his perch on my shoulders and returned to his hiding place in Bolin’s shirt.

“Thank you for coming to visit me,” I called out softly before looking back at Lin. I ran my thumb across her calloused knuckles as I took hold of her hand.

Her relaxed features gave away little, and a part of me wished that the intensity of my gaze would rouse her. But it did nothing – not that I really expected it to achieve anything.

Several healers came in to change her bandages and perform another round of treatment. Before I was ushered from the room, I saw the burns that marked her flesh; I struggled to keep the hard lump that rose dangerously high in my throat down but ended up vomiting into a waste basket. I blushed, mortified, and sagged against the wall. I slid down into a crouch on the balls of my feet and cradled my burning head with clammy hands.

Lin could have _died_.


	8. Chapter Eight

I struggled to get ahold of myself – I had to be in control. I raked my hands through my wild hair and took in deep, gulping breaths. I felt hot and cold, battering against one another beneath my skin.

“Poor dear,” a healer sighed, and quickly cleared away the acrid mess in the basket beside me. She knelt down to offer me a glass of cold water and patted my uninjured arm before she trotted off.

No one else entered the corridor for some time, so I had time to pull my pieces back together. As in meditation, I sunk into a trance of sorts; I could finally clear my mind and enter the void, shirking off the pain weighing down upon my shoulders.

“Kailyn, how long have you been here?” Tenzin chided softly as he appeared in front of me. He looked to the closed door of Lin’s hospital room. “How is she?” he inquired.

“She hasn’t woken up once,” I mumbled, and slowly rose to my feet.

“Lin is one of the strongest people I know – and twice as stubborn,” he assured me, “She’ll push through.”

“I’ve noticed how stubborn she is,” I mused wryly, and we shared a forced laugh.

“You can come in now, we are done for the time being,” a healer explained as she and her coworkers left the room.

I went in without further word, and once again took residence in the chair at Lin’s bedside. A little colour had returned to her cheeks, and the shadows around her eyes were not as stark.

“I hoped that she would be awake,” Tenzin remarked, “I could have used her advice on how to handle Tarrlok and Saikhan’s radical methods of retaliation.”

“What does Tarrlok want now?”

Tenzin walked over to the radio and tuned it to the desired station. The last few chords of a song floated through the room, and I was about to ask Tenzin what he was hoping to hear, but soon got my answer.

Tarrlok’s voice, saturated with feigned humility, announced, “ _Republic City stands as a beacon of freedom, but Equalists are using that freedom to tear it down. The council of this great city has reached the ruling for it to be illegal for anyone to be a member of the Equalists or even be associated with them. To all non-benders, this law also puts a curfew to be put into effect – you all must be in your home by nightfall_.”

“He’s an arrogant fool,” I concluded coldly, “A grand equation with one result – more escalation and casualties. He should be doing all he can to help the people realise that Republic City has favoured benders – but we can resolve this through civil rights reform. Ostracising the oppressed more will just lead to more resentment against benders and sympathy for Amon’s cause.”

“Well said. Korra and her friends have taken it upon themselves to fight the Equalists…much to Tarrlok’s displeasure.”

“Good for them.”

“Not when one of them is a non-bender and Hiroshi Sato’s daughter,” Tenzin reminded me.

I was surprised that Asami was part of Korra’s group. However, a greater part of me was relieved at how vehemently Asami refused Amon’s ideology.

“I have to get back to City Hall – it’s a circus right now,” Tenzin said in farewell, “Thank you for looking after Lin.”

I nodded and squeezed Lin’s cool hand between mine. I watched her for a few minutes before I went over to the radio and turned it off. I smiled when the ignorant announcer blissfully cut off with a turn of the dial between my fingers.

I sat on the edge of Lin’s bed and placed her hand on my lap.

“Do you remember asking me where I learned to listen… the night Amon attacked the pro-bending arena?” I murmured, and looked out the window, “I was the only bender in my family…”

As my words tumbled through the air, I gained more courage to voice the next. “I had no masters due to my… but one day, when I was six years old, I snuck away. I slipped out the east gate into the mountains that towered like giants above my home. I could feel the thunder of strong earth bending to an unyielding master… I wanted to find the people capable of doing what my soul begged for me to do.

“I found them – rather, they found me. The badgermoles paid me little attention – I was so small, then, and I don’t know if was apathy or compassion that they let me become their shadow for the entire day. I followed them about until the sun dipped behind the mountains, amazed at how effortless earthbending seemed to them. I found my way back home, but any chance I could slip away – I would find them. I realised the reason they were the original earthbenders was because they never stopped listening, and it was when I realised that that I could finally bend it myself.”

Lin’s fingers twitched against my thigh, and I took that as an omen of good fortune for my guardian’s recuperation.

* * *

“Kailyn, can I talk to you?”

“Korra, what are you doing here? I thought you’d be out patrolling for Equalists.”

“That’s the reason I have a problem,” she replied, “Tarrlok had Asami, Mako, and Bolin arrested.”

“What?!” I exclaimed softly, and urged, “Tell me everything.”

I listened as Korra’s recounting of her friends’ illegal detainment, and soon my anger grew to match hers. “Tarrlok thinks that by matching the Equalists’ aggression with his own, it will make everyone fall in line,” I grunted, “But all it does it create more disparity between benders and non-benders. Was Tenzin able to see to their release?”

“Saikhan’s too busy being Tarrlok’s errand boy for Tenzin to get anywhere,” Korra scoffed.

“If the people were to get wind that three underage citisens are being unlawfully detained – one of them being a non-bender – and denied the right of due process…” I thought aloud, “It would be mass rioting in the streets…”

“Tarrlok is doing exactly what Amon accuses us benders of doing,” Korra added, “He’s giving the Equalists exactly what they want!”

“Something has to be done… but what?”

“I am going to talk to Tarrlok – if he refuses to see reason, then I’ll make him see it,” Korra ground out.

“Korra – you’d be no better than Amon if you match violence with violence,” I chided, “I wish I could help you, but I can’t…”

“You keep looking after Beifong. I can handle this.”

“Please, be careful,” I warned.

Korra flashed me a tense smile and then pulled me into a quick embrace. “Sorry, I should’ve asked but we both seemed like we needed it,” she murmured as she withdrew to jog out of the hospital room.

I walked the perimeter of the room as I mulled over what Korra had told me. Had I done the right thing? Encouraging her? Would it have better if I stopped her? I sighed loudly as I scrubbed my face with my hands.

“Stop…acting like…Tenzin…”

I wheeled about to look at her, relief and concern flooding my senses at the sight of Lin regarding me with lidded eyes. “You’re awake,” I stated lamely.

Lin’s chest huffed with a soundless snort, “Yes, astute deduc…tion,” she rasped, “Water…”

Clumsily, I hurried over to the small sink in the corner of the room and filled a glass. I blushed when I spilled nearly half of it on the floor on my way back to Lin’s bedside.

“Steady,” Lin chided.

“Sorry,” I replied, and slowly eased the cup to her lips. She drank deeply, taking greedy swallows, and coughed when some of it hit the back of her throat wrong. “Steady,” I repeated wryly, earning me a glare, but I smirked down at her. After finishing another glass, I told her, “I am going to find a healer to look you over.”

Lin sighed and sunk deep into her pillow. “Knew it was too good…and I don’t need babysitting,” she protested.

I gave her a sympathetic smile, being not too fond of healers and hospitals myself. I left to find the healer’s station. “Chief Beifong is awake,” I announced.

“I’ll send the next available healer to see her,” the clerk behind the desk assured me.

I came back into the room to find Lin struggling to sit upright. “Easy,” I murmured, and hooked my arms under hers and carefully pulled her up to a reclined position against the pillows.

“Didn’t need…help,” she panted.

“Of course not, but I gave it anyway,” I concurred.

The healer who had seen to my care was the one who strode into the room. “Chief Beifong, Miss Hsiao,” she greeted us, nodding. Lin grunted noncommittally in response, which caused the healer to roll her eyes in good nature. She examined Lin before performing a brief healing session. “Your injuries have reset properly, but some of the more serious ones require more time. I am going to have you stay under our care for a few more days,” she explained.

“Thank you,” I said in turn, but Lin scoffed and narrowed her eyes. I once more sat on Lin’s bed and looked out the window as the healer took her leave. Sometime between talking with Korra and Lin waking up, night had fallen.

“Is it true?” Lin asked suddenly.

“Is what true?” I returned.

"About how your learned to bend,” she yawned, “…heard you.”

“It’s true,” I replied, and exhaled tremulously.

Many memories – unwanted and otherwise – were coming to the forefront of my mind at the recollection of a time in my life where I had so little to enjoy, I threaded my fingers together as rested my forearms on my raised knees.

“My mother was taught in a similar fashion. Her parents thought her too fragile to learn true bending,” Lin recalled softly.

“Fragile, indeed,” I chuckled.

“Where is Tenzin?”

The inquiry caught me off guard, and I wondered why the airbending master was the first person Lin asked after. There was an unspoken depth to their tense relationship – a history that few probably knew. “Asleep, or very near to it,” I wagered after a quick glance at the clock on the wall.

“At first, I thought you were him pacing. You’re exceptionally light-footed for an earthbender.

“Habit,” I dismissed, and rubbed my aching head. I could feel Lin’s eyes on me. “I haven’t slept well since the Sato Estate,” I divulged, knowing better than to lie to an earthbender far greater than myself. Already, I felt exposed under her unwavering gaze.

“You wish your father had complied with Sato’s demands-”

“-If it meant that he lived? Absolutely.”

Her lips thinned and her peridot eyes glittered dangerously. “Your father knew what the loss of your bending would have done to you,” she growled, “Don’t get caught up in your own self-loathing and undermine the choice _he_ made.”

“Self-loathing?” I repeated, breathlessly. The back of my throat burned as I swallowed back the fear at confrontation. “I want my father back! I want to be home – with him. Not _you_! How can you be…so cold – so unfeeling?” I rose to my feet and stalked out of the room.

“Kail-” Lin’s call after me was cut off when I slammed the door behind me.

I left the hospital, ignoring the eyes that watched me as I stormed through the streets. The winter air eased the ache, but only just. I kept walking until I reached the park at the city’s centre and took shelter under a large tree. A thick layer of ice covered the pond, but I could make out the faint shadows of the fish milling about below.

“Now what has brought Miss Hsiao out at such an hour?”

I smiled at the familiar voice and replied, “She wanted to get lost for a while. You shouldn’t be out here, Gommu, it isn’t safe for you.”

“The police have bigger fish to fry than a minnow like me – vagabonds have it easy these days, surprisingly enough.”

“A single grain of rice can tip the scale,” I argued softly.

“Proverbs don’t mean much to folks these days – not as much as they should,” Gommu agreed, and kindly offered me his threadbare coat. When I help up my hand in polite refusal, he shrugged his shoulders and declared, “You can’t stay out here all night – your ol’ man would haunt me ‘til the day I died. Come along, then.”

We left the park and slipped into a dimly lit alley, narrowly missing a patrol of Tarrlok’s special task force as we did. Gommu checked to make sure we were unnoticed before he heaved open a manhole lid.

“Ladies first,” he quipped.

I laughed softly and dropped into the darkness. I frowned when I landed on metal and so was truly blind down there. Gommu slid in and shut the entrance behind him, and then I heard him fumble around.

“Ah, here it is,” he announced cheerily, and a beam of light shone from the recently acquired torch in his hand, “Follow me.”

Two right. One left. Up the ladder, then two more lefts. I mentally charted the route over and over in my head to memorise the path in case of need of it in future. Also, it helped distract me from the smell.

“Ah, here we are,” he declared, “Welcome to my humble abode.”

I was amazed at the sight before me. It was Republic City’s own city of ashes; a place for the desolate and downtrodden to find shelter and kindness. It was breathtaking in its shabbiness and brought an otherwise unfound comfort to my heart. I smiled at the distant sound of children laughing and shrieking as they ran through the mismatched buildings.

“Gommu…” I trailed off, and gesticulated in awe at the establishment before me.

“Maybe Amon would reconsider after taking a look at what’s going down here, eh? There are benders and non-benders living down here harmoniously just fine down here- that’s equality,” he mused.

“Exactly.”

“Come on – let’s find you a bed and some food,” Gommu announced, rifling through what little possessions he had. He shook the worn mat to shake off any dirt, not that it did much, and then placed it near the small fire burning in a dented metal barrel.

“Thank you, Gommu,” I murmured once I settled beneath the tattered blanket that he laid over me.

“Anything for you, Miss Kailyn…your ol’ man and I go way back, as you know. But what are you doing out on your own? I thought Battle-axe Beifong was taking care of you.”

“She is,” I admitted faintly, “But we argued and it reminded me of things…”

“Memories of her, huh?” he asked sadly.

I rolled away to put my back to Gommu as I curled into a ball and I mumbled, “Yes.”

Ghosts haunted my dreams.


	9. Chapter Nine

“Hey, kiddo, time to wake up,” I heard Gommu chirp as he gently shook my shoulder.

I inhaled deeply and slowly rubbed my eyes. I sat up with a yawn and lied, “Best night’s sleep I have had in weeks. Thank you, Gommu.”

“Anything to help a friend,” he waved off, “Can you find your way out?”

“Mhm,” I assured him, and helped him tidy up before having a simple breakfast with him before taking my leave. Once I reached the alley, I jogged the distance to Lin’s place. I slipped inside and hastily ducked into the guest bedroom. I changed into a fresh set of clothes after a shower.

As I dug through my satchel, a slip of fabric slithered through the air to pool on the floor. I froze when I realised what it was.

Father’s cravat.

The regal champagne-gold article was etched with bronze embroidery depicting our family crest. I plucked it off the ground with a trembling hand and coiled it about my neck. My heart ached when I detected the faint remains of my father’s aftershave, and I closed my eyes to breathe the scent in again.

* * *

“Ms. Beifong checked herself out early this morning,” the receptionist informed me as I came back to the hospital and found Lin’s room empty.

“What?!” I exclaimed softly, and hurried out of the hospital.

 _Tenzin – I had to get to Tenzin_.

I was certain that the airbender would know where Lin would be, or at least be able to tell me where to start looking. I huffed in relief when I saw City Hall come into view as I hurtled around a corner and shoved my way through the small clusters of people.

“What do you mean you don’t know where Kailyn is?! You’re her guardian, Lin!”

“She ran off! Am I supposed to be a mind reader and know where she went?!” Lin barked.

“Tenzin!” I called out as I burst through his office door. I came to a stop, the doorknob still in my hand, when I saw the room was filled with people. Mako, Asami, Bolin, and Lin. “How did you…ah, Lin must have busted you out,” I deduced.

“Where the hell have you been?!” Lin demanded, rounding on me angrily. I shied away, wishing to be anywhere else but bearing her wrath, “Do you have any idea how stupid that stunt of yours was?”

“I was safe,” I whispered.

“You’re a bigger fool for believing anywhere right now is safe,” Lin scoffed, and stepped closer to me.

“Lin, step away from Kailyn,” Tenzin interjected softly, “Kailyn, we are so glad to see that you’re all right. But we can’t be fighting amongst ourselves right now – Korra is missing and the Equalists have taken her.”

“What?”

“She and Councilman Tarrlok were attacked here at City Hall. They held them off for as long as they could but were overpowered.”

“Who would have let her go talk to that slimeball in the first place?” Mako growled.

“Mako, I doubt anyone knew what she was planning-” Asami began.

“-I did,” I announced, “I knew.”

“What?!”

“She came to the hospital after Tenzin left and told me she was going to confront Tarrlok about arresting you three. I- I told her that it was the right thing to do…”

“You should have told her to go back to Air Temple Island!” Lin hissed.

“Lin,” Tenzin warned as my breath hitched and I felt the warmth drain from my face, “Enough. What’s done is done. We have to focus on finding Korra.”

Lin loomed over me. With a flinch, I met her gaze. “We’ll discuss this later,” she vowed darkly.

“Very well,” I murmured.

“Do you have any leads?” Mako asked Tenzin.

“I’ve been on the phone all morning, but nothing yet.”

“We need Naga! She can track Korra.”

“I’m afraid her polar bear dog is missing as well,” Tenzin sighed.

“Then where do we start?” Bolin wondered.

“My guess is the Equalists are hiding underground in the maze of tunnels beneath the city,” Lin informed us.

“Underground,” Asami huffed bitterly, “Just like my father’s secret factory. Figures.”

“Yeah! Yeah, that makes sense – when those chi blockers had me in their truck, it sounded like we drove into a tunnel!” Bolin explained, mimicking the truck’s movement with a sweeping motion of his hand.

“I know where to start looking – come on!” Mako exclaimed. He, Bolin, and Asami rushed out of Tenzin’s office.

“Wherever Amon is keeping Korra, I bet that’s where my officers are, too,” Lin said softly to Tenzin.

“Let’s bring them all home, Lin.” Tenzin looked at me and gave me a sad smile. “Your father would be proud to see you wearing his cravat and supporting your friends, Kailyn,” he murmured.

A faint smile tugged at my lips and I fell in step with Lin as she left the room. Mako, surprisingly, took the lead and seemed to be struggling on maintaining his composure; Asami eyed him warily, whereas Bolin came to walk beside me. I found his sturdy, jovial presence comforting as we soared above the city on Oogi.

* * *

Tenzin landed on a deserted street, and Mako leapt over Oogi’s saddle the moment the sky bison touched ground.

“The truck with Bolin took off down this alley,” Mako explained, and pointed down one of the narrow avenues.

“Which way?” Asami asked as we all jogged to the next intersection.

“Hmmm, this way kinda…” Bolin trailed off to sniff the air, “Smells familiar.”

Lin metalbent the sole of her boot back and used seismic sense to scout the surrounding area. “There’s a tunnel nearby,” she announced, and slid down the nearby embankment. “Motorcycle tracks,” she mused, eyes meticulously taking in the area.

“Korra has to be in there…somewhere,” Mako mumbled.

Lin promptly forced the gate open, and I was the only one that caught her grimace. We entered the maw of the tunnel, lost in the darkness until Mako conjured a flame in the palm of his hand. I paced myself with Lin and Tenzin’s gait, trying to catch the former’s attention but she was resolutely looking away from me.

“Let’s try this way,” Mako suggested, motioning to one of the four options when we reached the crossroad.

“And what if Korra’s not down there?” Asami asked curtly.

“Then we pick another tunnel until we find her!”

Asami looked hurt and she fell back to walk with Bolin.

“Where were you last night?” Lin demanded softly, startling me with her sudden appearance at my side.

“I couldn’t tell you exactly, but I was safe. One of my father’s old friends was with me.”

The sound of motorcycles approaching stopped our conversation.

“Hide!” Lin hissed, and pulled me into the shadows. She pressed me against the wall, shielding me with her body as she looked to the direction where the motorcycles were coming from.

I sucked in a breath as I struggled not to panic at the touch. This was Lin; she would not hurt me. But still, I could not convince myself that the unexpected touch was fine – unexpected had never been a good thing.

Two Equalists on motorcycles came hurtling into view; one pushed something on their dash, and that triggered a door in the wall – that we had not noticed before – and it promptly shut behind them as they passed under.

Lin’s features were stoic as we looked at one another, and she crossed the tunnel to stand in front of the door before I could say anything further. The five of us crowded around her and watched her run her hand across the door.

Her hand gripped around an unseen handle, turned it, and it triggered the door’s mechanism – forcing the door to manually open. We rushed in and quietly sprinted down the dimly lit tunnel.

A junction came into view up ahead where Equalists were loading supplies onto tram carts that led off onto numerous tracks – possibly running through the entire city.

“That tram goes to the training camp,” one ordered, and the cart lurched out of sight.

“Everything was delivered to the prison, sir,” a female Equalist announced to her superior as they walked away.

“That’s where they must be keeping Korra,” Tenzin whispered.

“We need to get down that tunnel,” Lin stated, and signaled all of us to follow her lead as she sprinted towards the tram. Asami jumped to the control panel and started it up, which sent us speeding down the tunnel at full throttle. “Jump off at my signal,” Lin ordered, and after a lengthy pause, “Now!”

A light flashed and an alarm blared at the tram’s arrival as it coasted to a stop at the end of its track. Several Equalists appeared and looked inside.

“It’s empty!” one exclaimed.

“Yeah, I can see that,” the other drawled.

Lin’s lips twitched as she sent her cables shooting out to ensnare them. She dragged them into the tunnel in front of her. She knocked one unconscious with a well-placed kick, and the other with a punch.

“You two,” Lin told Bolin and Asami as we tied the Equalists up, “Keep an eye on them.” Closing her eyes, Lin slammed her foot into the ground to use her seismic sense, giving us both the layout of the prison. “My officers are inside,” she announced.

“What about Korra?” Mako asked.

“I don’t see her yet.”

I tilted my head at her response. From what I received from her seismic sense, there was no sign of the Avatar – and we had seen the complete blueprint, so to speak, of the prison.

Lin, Mako, Tenzin, and I headed down the corridor; we came around a corner, and two Equalists charged us. Tenzin sent them careening backwards into the wall, and Mako rushed them – jerking one of them off their feet and ripped off their mask.

“Avatar Korra- where are you keeping her?!” Mako seethed behind clenched teeth.

Lin slipped down the corridor, and I followed her. She peered into the prison cells until she finally found her metalbenders. She rent the bars apart and stepped inside.

“Chief Beifong?” one of them called out, weary.

“I’m too late. That monster already took your bending away, didn’t he?”

The officer nodded his head, and in turn Lin’s bowed in shame. I reached out to take her by the hand but stopped myself before I even got halfway.

“I’m so sorry,” Lin murmured, overwhelmed. She schooled her features and said, “Come on, let’s get you out of here.”

We came back to where we had left Tenzin and Mako. The firebender now had the Equalist pinned to the wall. “I’ll ask you one more time,” he paused, and ignited the fist he held poised to strike the trembling man.

“We don’t have the Avatar – and the Equalists didn’t attack City Hall – Tarrlok’s lying,” the Equalist denied vehemently, and weakly pushed away Mako’s arm.

Mako’s grip suddenly went limp, causing the man to collapse on the floor. “What?” he hissed incredulously.

“I scanned the entire prison,” Lin explained, “Korra’s not here.”

“Why would Tarrlok make up a story about getting attacked?” Mako wondered.

“Because he’s the one who took her,” I realised, shooting Lin a wide-eyed look.

A siren blared – we had been discovered – we all sprinted back to where Bolin and Asami were standing guard.

“Let’s go, people!” Bolin shouted.

Everyone clambered into the tram and took off just as another came into view. Bolin took a firm stance at the back of our cart; he flung out his arms and then brought them back to his chest.

The tunnel walls just ahead of the pursuing cart collapsed, causing Bolin to call out in challenge, “Try to chi block _that_ , fools!” He shot me a broad grin, eyes glittered in mirth.

“Bolin,” I chided, a smirk quirking the corners of my lips.

“We’ve got more company!” Lin called over her shoulder.

Ahead, at the tram loading dock, the Lieutenant with a small horde of Equalists and mecha tanks awaited us. I flung myself into a tilting spiral from one end of the tram to the other and slammed my fists down on the floor of the cart as I landed low to the ground. Shards of earth launched out of the ceiling and piercing the mecha tanks’ glass windows, causing them to be temporarily inoperable.

Meanwhile, Lin bent the strips of rail that ran along the ceiling to merge into the track. “Hang on!” she ordered.

The tram lurched upright onto Lin’s makeshift track towards the ceiling. Lin thrust her hands upward and earthbent a hole through the ceiling. We soared through the gap and landed on the floor of the adjacent one above. During said landing, I was sent crashing into the side rail and curled in with a groan. Lin created another opening above us while sealing off the entry from the tunnel below.

“We have to hurry,” Mako urged, being one of the first people back on their feet.

“Hold up! Something happened to Kailyn!” Bolin protested, catching me as I sagged back.

“Kailyn?” Tenzin pressed.

“I’m fine,” I huffed, “We have to keep moving.” With Bolin’s helping hand at the small of my back, I slowly stood upright. “Thanks,” I mumbled, cheeks burning.

“That’ll definitely leave a bruise,” Bolin remarked, “Congrats.”

Tenzin whistled for Oogi, and we all scuttled onto the sky bison when he touched down.


	10. Chapter Ten

City Hall was empty when we arrived. Tenzin went out into his office and quickly called Saikhan and Tarrlok. “Now – we wait,” Tenzin concluded.

I ducked out and slipped down the hall; my feet instinctively led me to my father’s office. I was relieved to find that the door was unlocked, my father having broken it years ago – and City Hall had not bothered to replace it…despite putting in the maintenance order. I hesitantly made my way inside.

My father’s replacement’s possessions were scattered about, in boxed and half unpacked. But my father’s knick knacks were gone and replaced by strange figurines and artwork that I did not recognise. The only thing that remained from my father was the large desk that dominated most of the office’s space.

I smiled when I recalled the numerous occasions where I had hidden under that same desk as a child. I came around the desk’s face and crouched down to run my hand along the underside of the desk.

It was still there – the clumsily carved characters that composed my name from when I was seven years’ old. I had expected my father to be cross when he discovered it; on the contrary, he said that he was happy that he would always have a piece of me with him…as I always would have him.

I blinked back the tears at the sound of voices. Hastily, I left the office and stood next to Bolin.

“I am shocked you would accuse me of such an evil act! I have already explained – Equalists attacked us and took her!” Tarrlok protested.

“But there were no chi blockers here last night. You planted the evidence, didn’t you?” Tenzin demanded, jabbing a finger at the councilman.

“That is a ridiculous accusation!” Tarrlok scoffed angrily, but his heart was pounding.

“You’re lying,” I pointed out, “Try a little harder, you’ve had no problem lying in the past.”

“Shut your mouth, you pathetic-” Tarrlok began, and started to bear down upon me.

“-Finish that, I dare you,” Lin growled, stepping in front of me to intercept his advancement.

“It’s true! He took her!” the Council’s page chirped shrilly from behind a pillar on the balcony above, “I was here when Avatar Korra arrived last night, but Councilman Tarrlok ordered me to leave. I was on my way out when I saw Tarrlok bring her to the garage.”

“That is nonsense!” Tarrlok fumed, pointing a finger up at the cowering page, “Everyone knows you’re nothing but a squeaky-voiced liar!”

Lin folded her arms as she regarded the page. “Why did you wait until now to ‘fess up?” she inquired tersely.

“I was terrified because-” the page cut himself off before hastily finishing, “-Because Tarrlok is a bloodbender! He bloodbent Avatar Korra!”

“Don’t make this worse for yourself,” Tenzin said to Tarrlok as he took his stance, which Lin followed suit, “Tell us where you have Korra.”

Tarrlok’s eye twitched when Lin and Tenzin made to apprehend him; the metal cable that Lin had fired out fell limply to the ground. We all cried out in pain as Tarrlok forced us to our knees.

I snarled behind clenched teeth as I trembled violently to fight off the unnatural hold that Tarrlok had over my body. My half-bent knees trembled as I struggled to keep them from hitting the ground.

“Such spirit,” Tarrlok observed, “Your father had it too. He used to drive me mad during negotiations. _Kneel_.”

“No,” I ground out, but I felt my control slipping.

With a flick of Tarrlok’s wrist, I was sent tumbling into darkness.

* * *

“Kailyn doesn’t look too good,” I heard Bolin announced above me, and a hand gently shook my shoulder. “Kailyn, are you okay?” he asked when I slowly opened my eyes.

“I think so,” I murmured.

“Wake up!” Lin scolded Tenzin, and slapped him across the face. The airbender lurched upright and wildly looked around.

“Ugh, man! I had this awful dream that Korra was taken by this evil bloodbender. So weird!” Bolin groaned.

“Bolin, that really happened. He knocked us out,” Asami explained bluntly as she helped me to my feet.

“Are you serious?!” he gasped, and looked around for Tarrlok, “Where is he? Is he here right now?!”

“Tarrlok is long gone – I’ll alert the whole force,” Saikhan said, and then stiffly departed.

“We’ve only been out for a little while – maybe we can still pick up on Tarrlok’s trail.”

“It could lead us to Korra, let’s go!”

* * *

We had been flying over Republic City for hours, night had fallen, and there was no sign of the Avatar. I shivered as another chill wind bit at my numbing skin. I buried my face into my father’s cravat and rubbed my arms in a poor attempt to ward off the cold.

“Here.”

My head snapped to my left to look at Bolin, who held out his coat for me to take.

“Won’t you be cold then?”

“Nah – you take it.”

“Thank you,” I replied demurely with a blush warming my cheeks.

Just then, a howl echoed plaintively throughout the city below. “That sounds like Naga!” Mako exclaimed, and frantically peered over the side of Oogi’s saddle to look around. “There!” he shouted, and pointed down a side street.

Tenzin and Lin were the first to reach the Avatar when she came into view. Korra was slumped against Naga and looked terribly frail.

“Korra! Oh, thank goodness,” Tenzin breathed.

“Where’s Tarrlok? How did you get away?” Lin asked.

Mako shoved the two of them aside as he demanded, “Give her some space!” With great care, he pulled Korra into his arms, cradling her to his chest. He carried her back to Oogi and murmured, “I was so worried…”

“Let’s get everyone back to Air Temple Island, we can all rest there,” Tenzin announced, and floated back onto his perch astride Oogi.

The ride was mercifully short, but I could feel Lin’s cold glare on me the entire way.

Mako spirited Korra away to be tended to by the air acolytes, Asami stalked off, and Bolin lingered at my side. Thinking he was waiting for me to return his jacket, I peeled off his coat and held it out to him.

“Thank you again,” I said with a blush staining my cheeks.

“No problem!” Bolin dismissed warmly. He ran a nervous hand through his hair and he hesitantly bid, “Erm, good night, Kailyn…see ya tomorrow?”

“See you tomorrow,” I agreed warmly.

“Kailyn, a word,” Lin grunted.

I took a deep breath, trying to fight off the gnawing fatigue that rattled my aching body. “Can this wait until the morning, please?” I urged.

Lin’s eyes narrowed, and Bolin quickly made himself scarce, and her lips pursed into a thin line. I dropped my gaze to the ground and awaited the impending fight. I looked up when I sensed Lin storming away. I did not want to investigate further into the matter, so I did not call after her.

I looked out at the distant lights of Republic City’s skyline that danced across Yue Bay before I, too, retired for the night.

I slipped into the room that Lin had been assigned and found her feigning slumber with her back to me. I quietly walked up to bedside and pulled the hair pin-cum-blade she had given me out of my hair. My tresses tumbled down to the small of my back, and I looked down at the hilt bearing the sigil of the Beifong Flying Boar – crafted from jade and ivory. I placed the weapon on the bedside table just behind her head, then left the room.

* * *

I rose with the sun and soflty padded out to the pagoda at the crest of Air Temple Island. I smiled when I saw Tenzin already meditating. I sat beside him and mimicked his position. The winter morning air was crisp and cleansing as I breathed deeply. For a time, I was able to escape the turmoil that grew each day. My temporary liberation was overwhelming for its brief duration.

“Kailyn.”

I slowly opened my eyes and saw Lin standing in front of me; her fingers drummed an impatient staccato on her metal clad hips as she regarded me coolly.

“Are you wanting to talk?” I wondered.

Lin’s eyes flashed dangerously, and her arm shot out. I flinched when her hand latched onto my arm to haul me to my feet. I tried to stop the trembling that wracked my body as the memories of what such a touch results in came crashing down on me.

My shoulders hunched, and I kept my eyes to the floor – knowing that eye contact usually worsened the consequences.

“Lin,” Tenzin began, rising to his feet as he tried to intervene on my behalf.

“I have a right mind to track down your mother and send you off to her because she is obviously the only one that has any control over you!” Lin seethed, “She isn’t dead, is she?!”

I said nothing and kept my gaze downwards as the tears started to roll down my face.

“Why do you stand there like a beaten dog? Show a little backbone! Say something.”

A cold sweat broke out on my brow and at the nape of neck. Lin’s face – from the glance I stole – had morphed into another’s. Someone who my father had promised that I would never see again.

“Say SOMETHING!” she goaded.

“Lin, enough!” Tenzin panted as he rushed after us.

“-No, she needs to understand this – face some consequences without you stepping in to save the day. She could have prevented Korra from confronting Tarrlok if she had thought it through! Instead, she thinks she’s a paragon of wisdom when she’s a selfish child!” Lin spat.

“I think you’re being unreasonabl-”

“- Just because Mummy and Daddy spoiled her rotten doesn’t mean I have to treat her like a sugar queen.”

She could have struck me and elicited a softer reaction from me. I made the mistake of trusting her. Naïvely, I believed that I would be safe with Lin. What I did not think would be necessary was that she would need to protect me from herself.

“If you would like to know how my _mother_ was so effective in keeping me under control, it’s because she beat into me how _lucky I was to be born_.”


	11. Chapter Eleven

There. I had something; something ugly and what I had been running from since my father moved us to Republic City. I turned to walk away.

“Get back here!” Lin called after me.

“I release you of your duty of seeing to my care and protection, Chief Beifong, thank you for your service,” I interjected coldly. I gritted my teeth and kept my head up. I kept walking until I reached an edge of the island; the cliffside overlooked the distant mouth of Yue Bay that spilled into the sea. I dropped down to the ground and let my legs dangle above the bay.

“I don’t think you’re spoiled – if that means anything,” Bolin admitted sheepishly as he took a seat beside me.

“How much did everyone hear?”

“Only what Beifong said – but I don’t know who was paying attention.”

I smiled at the lie spoken for my benefit, and my cheeks flushed. “I’m sure they all think similarly to Li- Chief Beifong,” I remarked softly.

“Are you kidding?!” Bolin exclaimed incredulously, gesticulating wildly, “I think you’re…amazing, Kailyn…really.”

My cheeks burned hotter, and I smiled shyly. “Thank you, Bolin,” I murmured, and reached out to take hold of his hand.

We sat side by side, hand in hand, for some time until Bolin broke the silence. “When do you think Korra will wake up?”

“I don’t know,” I replied, and bowed my head. Was Lin correct in that this was my fault? Should I have stopped Korra? Fresh tears came to my eyes, slid down the bridge of my nose, and vanished into the bay below. “I would like to be alone right now, Bolin,” I announed faintly.

“Oh – Oh, okay,” Bolin replied quickly, and sidled away from me. A strange look flickered across his face and the next thing I knew he was embracing me fiercely. I clumsily brought my arms up to return the action, but was too slow, he had already withdrawn. He rose to his feet, brushed his hands off on his pants, and trotted back to the complex.

I brought a knee up to act as a shelf for my chin as I stared out at the bay. The churning waters gurgled below my dangling foot kept me from falling too deeply into my memories.

“Kailyn,” Tenzin said softly as he came up behind me, “Lin’s temper gets away from her, and I am sorry you had to experience it. I’m sure, given time, she’ll realise how harsh she was and then the two of you can reach an understanding.”

“I appreciate all that you have done for me since my father’s murder, Tenzin, really – I do. But it’s not your place to apologise for her…nor should you feel responsible for doing so.”

“She doesn’t know your-”

“-Nor does she need to,” I interjected firmly, looking over my shoulder to meet his eye, “My father told you in confidence – do not break that now.”

His displeasure with my demand was apparent, but I know he would respect my wishes – and the promise he made to my father. He sighed and rubbed the back of his head. “Very well,” he acquiesced, “Will you please come inside?”

Nodding, I rose to my feet and quietly followed Tenzin inside. Mako was nowhere to be seen, Bolin was sprawled out on the soda with Pabu, and Asami sat primly in a chair nearby. I dropped into the chair beside her and smiled.

“Hi,” she greeted me faintly.

“How did you sleep?” I asked.

“Well enough, although a prison cell bed isn’t hard to beat.”

Pabu’s head perked up at my soft laugh and he trilled happily as he scrambling onto my lap. I beamed down at the fire ferret, and he butted his head against my hand. I scratched his velvet-soft ears as I looked back at Asami.

“Kay, what happened this morning?” she pressed.

“Chief Beifong and I had a disagreement,” I dismissed with a curt wave of my hand.

Asami shot me a pressing look but did not say anything further. It was one of the things that I loved about her; she knew when to press and when to take a step back.

The airbender kids shuffled sleepily into the room, and Jinora traipsed over to my side.

“Good morning, Jinora,” I greeted her wryly.

“Morning,” she yawned, rubbing at her eyes. Her brown eyes danced at the sight of Pabu, now sleeping, on my lap. She gently rubbed his head before she took a seat on the floor in front of me at my feet.

“Kailyn?” Jinora murmured.

“Yes?”

“I think I know something that will make you feel better,” she explained eagerly, taking hold of my hand as she lifted herself onto her feet.

I cradled Pabu in my arm, causing him to wake. “You can stay here, if you’d like,” I offered, and chuckled when he crawled up my arm to settle on my shoulder. “All right, then. Lead the way, young airbender,” I said.

She led me out of the house and over to a courtyard, which possessed a most curious sight. Tall planks of wood set in rotating joints in the ground; each piece of wood was etched with the tell-tale spires of airbending symbols.

“What is it?” I asked as I walked around the structure’s perimeter.

“I guess you could call it an airbending obstacle course,” Jinora explained proudly, “The purpose of the exercise is to successfully get through from one side to the other without touching the planks as they spin.”

“Have you managed it?”

“Mhm, so have Ikki and Meelo,” Jinora answered.

“Was it difficult?” I wondered.

“Maybe?” she teased.

“I want to try,” I announced eagerly.

“You can’t do it – you’re not an airbender,” Meelo argued as he popped into view.

“I think it’s possible. Korra’s done it and she’s not an airbender necessarily,” Jinora mused thoughtfully, “Airbending isn’t required.”

“Could you make them spin, please?” I requested.

Jinora took a deep breath and sent shot a spiralling zephyr towards the structure. They all spun on their own timing and rhythm – creating a lulling hum.

“Time for you to get down, Pabu, unless you want to get very dizzy,” I warned. The fire ferret chattered and jumped from my shoulder then took a seat on the ground, as if he planned to watch.

I toed off my sandals, so that I could have full range of my seismic sense, then slammed my foot down to take it all in. I breathed deep and then stepped into the fray.

 _Surreal_.

That was the only description befitting the experience. I dodged, danced, and skirted along with my feet maintaining a full connection to the earth beneath me. I felt the breeze of the swirling boards brush against my suddenly hypersensitive skin. Each detail of the obstacle was taken in; nothing left unnoticed.

My breathing hitched as I narrowly avoided a board and almost set myself off balance. I struggled to rein in the instinct to overcorrect and clumsily darted through the last portion of the course. Sweat clung to my brow, and my lungs burned from exertion. My muscles tingled with delight with their satisfaction, and I raised the back of my hand to my forehead to wipe away the sweat.

I laughed when Meelo launched himself onto my back.

“Are you _sure_ you’re not an airbender?” Meelo demanded, and took my head between his hands to turn it so that I looked back at him.

“Quite sure,” I chuckled.

“Oh, okay. Can I have some of your hair? You’re pretty.”

“You already stole some when she first stayed here,” Ikki dismissed, and then praised me “Oh my gosh! That. Was. Amazing!”

“Oh, Chief Beifong, you missed it! Kailyn just did the most amazing, incredible job at the training ring!” Ikki informed the stoic woman, bouncing up and down as she clapped her hand.

Lin acted as if Ikki had not addressed her at all; her peridot eyes narrowed as she looked at me. “Korra has woken up,” she informed me curtly, and jerked her head for me to follow.

I set Meelo on his feet and jogged after Lin to catch up. We went into the dining hall where everyone was taking a seat at the table to break their fast.

Korra looked like she had gotten the rest that she needed, but she looked a little haunted. She did not waste a moment before digging into her meal, but the rest of us picked at ours. “Mmm, the food tastes amazing, Pema, I’m finally starting to feel like myself again.”

Pema stood and went over to retrieve Korra’s empty plate. “We’re so thankful you’re home safe,” she said, smiling. She started collecting the empty, dirty dishes from the table and went towards the kitchen.

Asami rose to her feet and said, “Let me help.”

“Korra,” Tenzin began carefully, “I know you’ve been through a lot, but I need you to tell me everything that happened.”

Korra’s eyes briefly looked down, no doubt assaulted by an onslaught of painful memories that were still fresh, but she steeled her nerves. “Well, first off, Tarrlok isn’t who says he is – he’s Yakone’s son,” she explained.

Tenzin and Lin exchanged shocked expressions. “It all makes sense now. That’s how Tarrlok was able to bloodbent us without a full moon,” Lin mused.

“But how did you escape? And where’s Tarrlok?” Tenzin pressed.

“Amon captured him…” Korra explained haltingly, “And took his bending.”

“What?!” Tenzin gasped.

“Yeah – he showed up out of nowhere – he almost got me, too.”

“This is disturbing news… Amon is becoming emboldened – taking out not one, but two councilmen, almost capturing the Avatar… I fear Amon is entering his endgame.”

“Then that gives us reason to believe that Amon and his Equalists will be targeting the remaining council members,” I concluded, “It’s the next logical step – take out the city’s government to further destabilise the power dynamics in his favour.”

“Lin, Kailyn, walk with me,” Tenzin requested, rising from the table. The three of us walked out into the courtyard where Oogi was waiting for Tenzin. “Lin, um, I – I – I need to ask you a favour. It would mean the world to me… but I – I know it could be a… a potentially awkward situation; furthermore-” Tenzin stammered and stumbled, eyes darting about nervously.

“-Spit it out, already!” Lin chided.

“Will you and Kailyn stay here and watch over Pema and the children while I meet with the council? With everything that has happened lately, I want to be sure my family is in safe hands,” Tenzin explained.

Lin’s features softened dramatically as she put her hand on Tenzin’s shoulder. “Of course, I’ll help, old friend,” she assured him softly. I felt like an intruder, so I averted my eyes and took a step back.

Pema strode into view, Meelo held firmly in her arms, and her eyes narrowed when she saw the proximity between Tenzin and Lin. “I didn’t realise you two were out here,” she remarked, furtively glaring at Lin.

“Pema! Yes, yes – yes. Lin – and Kailyn – have agreed to help out around here and keep an eye on things while I’m away.”

“Thank you! I could use the extra pair of hands,” she said patronizingly to Lin, and shoved a laughing Meelo into her arms. “Would you mind giving him a bath? He’s filthy,” she said in a rush.

Meelo laughed maniacally as he stuck his tongue out and blew a raspberry in Lin’s face. The latter’s arms straightened out to hold the young airbender away from her. “This is _not_ what I signed on for!” she exclaimed indignantly to Tenzin, who was mounting his sky bison. If the situation were not so tense between Lin and me, I would have laughed myself to the floor.

“Thank you, Lin!” Tenzin called over his shoulder hurriedly, “Oogi, yip yip!”

Lin returned her attention to Meelo, who was avidly picking his nose. Lin grimaced and eyes him warily.

“I gotta poo! Really bad!” Meelo grunted.

Lin frantically shot a cable around the five year old’s waist to dangle him away from her person. Her features grew panicked as she began to carry Meelo off.

“Not like that,” I chided gently, and took hold of Meelo. Lin retracted her cable as I set the boy on his feet. I offered my hand to him, and we made our way towards the bathroom. Upon completion, I remarked to Lin as Meelo darted off, “That’s all there is to it.”

Lin grunted noncommittally and stomped off; I followed her into the house. She looked out the open window in the parlour, back painfully straight and hands firmly clasped together behind her.

“I understand we aren’t civil with one another, but I owe Tenzin a great deal and would like to know that we are at an understanding that won’t affect our task.”

The only response I was given was an affirmative blink, which was swiftly followed by a mask of indifference. I went outside, back to the courtyard, and saw Bolin, Mako, Asami, and Korra standing out there as well.

Explosions echoed across the bay, and I saw thick, black shrouds of smoke climb throughout the city. Lin came sprinting out of the house while Korra, Asami, Mako, and Bolin were sprinting towards the docks.

“Be careful!” I called out to Bolin when he paused to shoot me a wild look over his shoulder. The airbender children and the White Lotus sentries came into the courtyard.

My heart lurched when I saw the approaching Equalist airships overhead; I prayed to the spirits that Tenzin was all right in the burning city and that he would trust us to protect his family.

“All right, kids, time to go inside,” Lin ordered faintly.


	12. Chapter Twelve

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> All the feels.

Jinora looked at me with terrified eyes, so I knelt in front of her. “Look after your brother and sister, Jinora, you are all going to be fine,” I assured her.

“But who’s gonna look after you?”

“I’ll be all right, I’m with Chief Beifong,” I replied, and ushered her away to take her siblings inside. I came up to Lin and asked, “How long until they reach the island?”

“Not long enough,” she grunted.

Pema, the children, and the air acolytes gathered in the open door. I saw Lin frown and roll her eyes. “Everyone, hide inside and remain calm,” Lin ordered smoothly, and Pema cried out, which caused Lin to scowl as she spun about.

Something was not right. Pema was hunched over, hand over her abdomen.

“Pull it together, Pema! Didn’t I just say, ‘remain calm’?!”

“Mummy, what’s wrong? Ikki worried.

“The baby’s coming!” Pema groaned.

Lin and I shared a panicked look while Jinora’s hands flew over hermouth. “Oh no!” she gapsed.

“Not now, baby!” Meelo ordered.

Two acolytes rushed to Pema’s side and ushered her inside – leaving the three children outside.

“Jinora, get your brother and sister inside – now!” I shouted as the White Lotus sentries launched their defenses against the oncoming chi blockers from the first airship that hovered over the island. Another airship’s cable shot down and embedded into the stonework of the lower courtyard. I clenched my hands into fists to stop their trembling, and I stole a glance at Lin.

She was so still – save for her hair rolling in the wind – she could have been mistaken for a statue. The sound of advancing Equalists had us dropping into our stances. The Lieutenant and a group of chi blockers came sprinting up the steps of the temple.

Lin sprang into action; she sent two metal cables snaking through the air and caught two Equalists by the waist to send them careening out of view. She spun on heel and raised a leg as she faced an oncoming Equalists. The earth heeded her call as she brought her foot down, and a pillar of earth caught the Equalist in the chest.

Two chi blockers came at me. I lurched back to avoid one’s fist and swung my leg out to kick him just below the ribs. He tumbled off his feet, and I kicked him in the jaw to knock him unconscious. I sent the other sailing backwards when I slammed my hand on the ground. I jumped back on my feet and turned to see Lin disposing of another three Equalists. I cried out when I felt four rapid punches along the length of my spine, causing me to fall to the ground.

Lin was fighting the Lieutenant, but as she swung out her cable to capture him, he caught them with his kali sticks. I watched in horror as electricity sparked to life in his kali and Lin cried out as she collapsed to her knees.

“No! Get away from her!” I yelled, and attempted to bend the earth beneath the Lieutenant’s feet. A chi blocker jabbed my arm, rendering is useless. The Lieutenant stood over Lin, who was sneering up at him, and raised his kali sticks to strike.

“Stay away from my dad’s ex-girlfriend!” Jinora demanded as she came into view on her glider. She landed softly amidst the throng of Equalists; she twirled her staff in her hands and then swung it like a club. A jet of air crashed against the Lieutenant and sent him tumbling over a nearby boulder.

“Jinora! You shouldn’t be out here!” Lin grunted.

Ikki came hurtling into the courtyard on an air scooter, crashing into several of the stunned Equalists. “Get off our island!” she shouted, and blew a few more Equalists down before she landed beside Jinora and Lin. The latter hauled me to my feet and hooked one of my arms around her shoulders so that she could help me walk.

“Girls, you need to get back inside this instant!”

“Taste my fury!” Meelo declared as he jumped down from the roof, and farted on an Equalist’s face – the force knocking the latter unconscious.

“Meelo – be careful!” Lin called out frantically.

Meelo ignored her and sent three blasts from his hands at the Equalists he dropped between, and then another attack of flatulence. I would have laughed if it were not for the peril we were still amidst. The remaining Equalists swarmed the boy, and his sisters made to come to his aid. But Meelo curled into himself, creating a small air shield that then exploded. The Equalists crashed into various pillars and boulders, and did not stir, while Meelo’s war cry echoed across the temple.

“Never mind,” Lin grumbled with a strained expression.

My limbs tingled unpleasantly as they started to regain full function and feeling as the chi blocking effects wore off. I smiled at the three airbenders as they piled atop me.

The White Lotus sentries came jogging up to use and a firebender asked, “Is everyone all right – did any of you get hurt?”

“We’ll be fine,” Line answered.

The sentries tied the Equalists up and lined them up in front of Lin. The Lieutenant was not amongst them, and that troubled me, but I pushed it aside for the time being.

“Take these Equalists and lock them in the temple’s basement,” Lin instructed. She turned to Jinora, Ikki, and Meelo to compliment them, “Nice work, kids.”

Oogi grunting above us caused us to look up and see Tenzin landing behind us. The airbenders rushed to their father and exclaimed, “Dad!”

“Oh, thank goodness – you’re all right!” Tenzin said, and pulled them into a fierce embrace.

Meelo climbed onto Tenzin’s shoulders and pawed at his father’s head. “We caught the bad guys,” he boasted.

“You let them fight?!” Tenzin exclaimed, rounding on Lin and me, “Do you realise what could have happened?”

“We would have been toast if it weren’t for your kids,” Lin explained softly, folding her arms, “You should be proud – you taught them well… Go on, be with your wife.”

I saw Korra, Asami, Mako, and Bolin climb off Oogi and follow the airbenders into the house.

“Look!” the Avatar cried out.

We looked to the sky and saw more airships approaching from the city. With haste, we hurried into the room that Pema had been tucked away in.

“We already chose a name,” Pema explained softly to her children as she rested her head on Tenzin’s shoulder.

“Rohan,” Tenzin announced.

“I’m so sorry to interrupt, but more airships are coming,” Korra murmured.

Tenzin shared a look with Pema before he sighed, “I need to protect my family, and get them as far away from this conflict as possible. If Amon got his hands on my children… I hate to even think of it.”

“If you’re leaving, then I’m going with you,” Lin declared.

“But-”

“-No arguments. You and your family are the last airbenders – there’s no way in the world I’m letting Amon take your bending away.”

“Thank you, Lin. Korra, I want you to leave this island and hide for the time being,” Tenzin urged the Avatar.

“I’m not giving up,” Korra protested.

“I’m not asking you to. I sent word to the United Forces – they will be here soon. And once my family is safe, I will return with the reinforcements, and we can turn the tide this war,” Tenzin promised.

“What you’re saying is… we need to be patient,” Korra mused faintly.

Tenzin smiled in pride as he placed his hand on her shoulder. “You’re learning well.” Mentor and student shared an embrace; Lin and I followed Tenzin’s family out to help them pack.

“You’re coming, too, Kailyn – right?” Jinora inquired, brown eyes searching my face.

“Charging rhinodragons couldn’t keep me away,” I answered with a smile that I hope hid how afraid I was.

* * *

“Tenzin, if we’re leaving, we better do it now.”

Tenzin airbent himself onto Oogi and urged the sky bison into the sky. We soared away from air temple island with two airships taking pursuit. We had not even made it a league until they started to gain.

“Lin!” I gasped.

“They’re gaining on us!” she shouted to Tenzin over the wind whipping our faces.

“Faster, Oogi,” Tenzin exclaimed, and cracked the reins.

An airship shot out a large net, intending to ensnare Oogi entirely, but Lin flung out a cable and severed the net from its tether. What she did next terrified me; she sent out another cable to coil around the falling chord.

“No!” I shouted.

Lin looked to Pema, cradling a newborn Rohan, and the children before finally – _finally_ – at me. Her stern features softened, and she knelt before me to rake a hand through my tangled hair, then pressed something into my hand. She seemed to regain her resolve as she stood; her peridot eyes of steel were set, while mine flooded with tears.

“Please,” I begged, reaching out to take hold of her hand.

“Whatever happens to me… don’t turn back,” she ordered.

“Lin, what are you doing?!” Tenzin demanded, looking over his shoulder.

Lin pressed a kiss to my brow to stun me long enough to let go of her hand. She sprinted down Oogi’s back and launched herself off his tail. She retracted her cable holding the airship’s line as she swung through the air. Her momentum catapulted her onto the top of the airship.

I could see her take stance and metalbend a huge curl of the ship’s exterior. The ship began to fall with smoke billowing from its exposed, torn engine, and Lin soared freely across the gap to land on the second ship. “She’s gonna make it,” I gasped.

But then something went wrong – horribly wrong.

Instead of following its brethren to crash into the sea, the second airship turned around.

“She got away-” I protested adamantly, “- Lin had to have gotten away.” I leaned over the lip of Oogi’s saddle to search the churning waters below for any sign of her. I winced when whatever Lin had placed into my hand sliced open a part of my palm. I looked down and saw that my hand was clenched around the hairpin-cum-knife that I had left at Lin’s bedside.

Why had she given it back to me?

“That lady is my hero,” Meelo announced, sounding mature for the first time since I met him.

I buried my face in my hands, uncaring of the blood that stained my clammy face, and bowed my head to hide my tears. She was Lin Beifong – she was too great a bender to get captured. So how had she?

“Yes…she is,” Tenzin concurred hoarsely.

We both knew why she did it…even after all that time.

Lin did it for him.

* * *

We flew ling into the night, relying on the cover of darkness to hopefully lose any who pursued us, and did not stop until we were within Earth Kingdom territory. The rain started as Tenzin set up camp; the cold drops stung my skin and seeped down to my bones…numbing me. I remained in the downpour long after the children had fallen asleep – keeping vigil over the last airbenders.

I could too easily picture Lin’s fate. As those before her, she would be forced to kneel at Amon’s feet like a disobedient hound brought to heel as he stared from behind his mask. She would hold her head high as she met his gaze; she was a Beifong and they yielded to no one.

My stomach rolled as I feared that Amon would see her as too great a threat – an easy matyr that would rally the benders of the world – so he would kill her…just as he had killed my father. The arteries in her neck would stand out in harsh relief as her body seemed to attack itself under Amon’s thrall; her face would go purple – and no matter how hard she fought it; it would not be over until Amon stopped her heart. My shoulders trembled, whether from the cold or the tremor of my sobs – I did not know. All I knew was that the Beifong legacy was broken.

“You weren’t hard to find.”

At the Lieutenant’s voice, I made to cry out, but the jolt of electricity tore through my body. I welcomed the darkness.


	13. Chapter Thirteen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TRIGGER WARNING: Mentions/memory of child abuse. Please be advised.

The ground beneath me was stiff and quiet. My eyes were heavy as I cracked them open, but all I could see was darkness. My brought trembling hands up to my face to make sure that Amon did not take my eyes, and I released the breath I had been holding when I felt them. Slowly, my eyes adjusted to the dim light and assured me that I still could see. I pressed my hand to the ground, spreading out my clenched fingers, and tried to sense where I was. I sat upright when I could see _nothing_.

“You still possess your impurity, Miss Hsiao, for the time being,” the raspy chuckle sounded out of the blackness behind me, “Amazing how putting you in a cage makes you as helpless as a turtleduck.”

“What do you want from me?” I whispered.

“Do you remember the first time I had you? You were unable to stop me when I rid the world of your father-”

“- Don’t say a word against my father!” I hissed, “You were the coward who took the life of an innocent man!”

“Brave words from a girl behind bars,” Amon mocked, “You weren’t so bold when you kneeled at his side as I killed him.”

“You’re a monster.”

“Perhaps, but I am the monster needed to equalise the world.”

“You claim equality when you upset the balance of the world – Spirits curse you.”

“It is the Spirits that have bestowed this mighty gift upon me,” Amon countered, “I am their humble servant. Tell me where the Avatar is.”

“I won’t tell you anything, you monster!”

His cold laugh echoed around me. “Your fallen guardian said those very words to me not two days ago…” I flinched at the barb, and he added, “Oh, I struck a nerve. I’ll let you be alone with your memories of the great Lin Beifong.”

Amon left me to the demons that lurked unseen in the shadows around me. I curled my arms around myself as I rocked back and forth.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry…so sorry – I’m sorry, so sorry,” I chanted as fresh tears fell down the tracks of their predecessors.

* * *

They left me in the cage, even when interrogating.

“Where is the Avatar?” the Lieutenant demanded, drumming his kali against the cage.

I remained curled on the floor with my back to him; he knew my answer, but he enjoyed punishing me for my silence. I screamed when he set my prison alight with electricity. All I could to brace myself for it was to tense violently. I moaned weakly when he cut the circuit of energy when he withdrew his kali sticks.

“You’re pathetic – weak – just like your old man.”

“Stop-” I whimpered. My muscles would not cease contracting even though the electricity no longer flowed. When lax, I still burned. My fingers curled and clenched to the unknown staccato beat against the floor of my cell.

“- Do you still have nightmares about that night at the rally, little Hsiao?” the Lieutenant mocked, “How easily we found you though you tried to hide yourselves from us, but we had inside help.”

“There’s no need,” Amon dismissed idly, “The ghosts that follow her wherever she is are enough to break her. I should thank your mother, Cassia, for doing most of the work for me, you know.”

He knew. How could he have known?

Hiroshi.

* * *

I was blind, and the only way I could tell the passing of time was the rotating interrogations that dogged my waking breath. Anguish was a sickness, and Amon knew to let it eat away my spirit. With no earth to call upon as protector, I was left to their whims.

I eventually fully adjusted to the darkness, and I could see a small, barred grate at the bottom of the wall on the far side of my cage. I groaned as I dragged myself to it, desperate for there to be another person on the other side of it. I could a flickering lantern painting shadows on the floor of the neighbouring cell.

My eyes burned from the strain of the forgotten light. I jerked away when a small cup appeared just in front of me.

“Kailyn, drink.”

My breath caught painfully in my spasming chest, and my heart raced. I shot my arm through the bar, and my fingers gripped the wrist in front of me with a near bruising force.

“L-Lin?” I whimpered.

I was never so relieved – so utterly ashamed – to hear her voice. It no longer possessed the surety and steadfast conviction that made Lin Beifong’s words stand immovable when she spoke. How many days had we been at one another’s side without knowing? My fingers dug deeper into her skin, perhaps it was her bones groaning in protest at my hold instead of falling from my cracked lips.

“What happened?” she asked, settling closer to the grate and saw my tears begin to fall.

“We didn’t even last a night before they caught us,” I sobbed, “I’m so sorry, Lin. I failed you.”

“Where’s Tenzin?”

“I- I don’t know. I came to, alone,” I stammered.

Lin’s free hand came through the bars to cup my burning face; I turned into her touch, greedy for the first time in a long time for the comfort of another’s touch.

“Lin, did he…?”

Her silence condemned us. The Beifong legacy had ended; the daughter of a legendary bender had sacrificed everything to protect Republic City. Bile rose in my throat, and I shuddered as the final threads of my hope were cut.

“I failed you and-”

“- You failed no one,” I interjected, “And Korra is safe.”

“But what about you?”

* * *

_“Why can’t you be normal?!”_

_“I’m sorry, Mama!” I wailed, raising my arms to shield my head from the raining blows she brought down. But as always, that enraged her; the power behind the blows increased until my arms could no longer resist them, and I saw her beautiful features trembling with rage. “Please, Mama, stop! I’ll be good – I promise, I’ll be good!” I begged._

_"Liar!” she hissed._

_“I’ll try,” I beseeched, and took the next blow in silence…as she had taught me._

_“The Spirits cursed me – my only daughter, a bender._ ”

* * *

I awoke to the sound of my own screams, calling out in the darkness. I ripped my hand out of Lin’s, scrambling away from the grate towards the bucket that served as my lavatory. My fingers clenched the rim as I vomited. My abdomen spasmed painfully as bile burned the back of my throat and left a lingering stench in the cage. My trembling hands were clammy as I gripped my throbbing head. I hunkered on my haunches when I had to expel once more.

I fell to the side against the wall. My shuddering breaths broke the silence, and I drummed the heel of my palm against my head to fight back the cacophony on memories that clambered through my broken defenses. I could feel Lin’s penetrating gaze, so I turned into the wall. The cold metal felt good against my viscid brow; the anchor kept me from falling entirely into the past that I tried so hard to forget.

_If you will not talk with someone, with me, I urge you to meditate when you feel this way, Kailyn. Let the memories flow through you, then let them fall away. They do not, nor will they ever, define you._

I whimpered at the haunting of Tenzin’s words. I should have been able to protect the people I cared about – who took me into their home and their family when I lost the only one I had.

“Kailyn?” Lin murmured.

“Leave me alone,” I begged. My voice held no malice – no emotion at all, which was just how Cassia liked. Emotionless was obedience.

“Talk me through it.”

“She was right,” I explained, more to myself than Lin, “I should never have been born.”

“Stop it.”

“She was right,” I repeated, crawling back to the grate. I curled on my side to face Lin, who mirrored me, and slowly met her gaze. I closed my eyes to her, for I lacked the nerve to continue my tale without doing so. “My parents were nonbenders – both from great and noble heritages…my mother went to great lengths to make sure I knew my proud bloodline.

“So, the day when I discovered earthbending, it brought shame upon my ancestors. My mother was appalled and ashamed that her only child was a slight against her impeccable pedigree and reputation. She told me I was a mistake – that it would be impossible to keep my bending a secret if I flaunted it the moment her back was turned. She forbade bending, but I thought I could bend in secret…”

Tears coursed down the bridge of my nose and my cheeks as I worried my cracked lip between my teeth until it bled. “I was seven when she first hit me – she was so angry, more than I had ever seen her, when I returned to the house covered in dirt and my dress torn. She slapped me and sent me to my room. I was there for hours, but when she came up, she cried with me and promised that she would never hit me again. She made me promise not to tell my father what had happened when he returned from delegations in the inner Earth kingdom territories.”

The words became more difficult to articulate; I had held them inside of me for so long…they seemed poor, so ugly from being hidden away from the light.

“For a time, she doted upon me and I did everything I could to keep her happy. She let me bend for several weeks before she changed her mind and forbade me once more. I tried-” my voice cracked, and my chest burned, “I tried to eliminate the only thing about myself that I loved to keep her happy. I wanted her love more than anything, but I failed again.

“She struck me again and again – and that was when the bruises began. She made sure that they were doled out when my father was away or out of the house, where he would never see them when they mottled my skin. She made sure to tell me every time how disappointing I was to her. How lucky I was that she let me be born.”

“Kailyn…”

“Until I was almost ten years old, the woman who gave me life and brought me into this world abused me. I learned the strength of silence, how not to look anyone in the eye, and that when someone touched me that it only meant pain…”

“What happened?”

“My father found out and divorced Cassia. He transferred to Republic City, and I was sent to Air Temple Island to learn how to rebalance my chakras under Tenzin’s tutelage. Tenzin, he – he saved me – he showed me the strength and patient to work through the pain of my past. I lost myself…after my father was killed… I forgot how helpless I was when I watched him die in front of me-” I broke off, and made to wipe my tears on the shoulder of my tunic. I tensed when Lin reached through the bars; I flinched when her thumb cleared my face.

When her hand remained on me, I did not recoil. This was Lin; she was not Cassia.

“None of that defines you,” she whispered, “You are worth far more than anything that woman dared to belittle you by.”

“My father would say something like that,” I murmured.

“He was proud of you, let anyone know it,” she assured me, “So am I. You surpassed every assumption that I made about you – you are strong - stronger than I gave credit for. You surprised me.”

“Except your mother.”

“You remind me of her – in a way I never expected,” she added, “Even when I want to forget.”

“I’m sorry,” I blurted, and made to pull away.

“You needn’t be – it is better to remember than forget it all.”

Hesitantly, I threaded our fingers together and leaned in to press my head against the bars separating us. “Lin, what if we never-”

“- Sh, don’t. Close your eyes,” she interjected softly, “My mother once took me to Ember Island when I was little… I remember the warm waters and crisp sea air, and the gulls that called to one another above me. Mom said something about some spastic chi blocker talking about the tide would smooth out the rough edges you didn’t even know you had. We laughed at the spirity mumbo jumbo as we laid beneath the stars. The whispers of the drifting sand lulled us asleep…”


	14. Chapter Fourteen

I awoke to fingers combing through my lank hair. My eyes fluttered open and instantly met Lin’s. “How long…?” I slurred.

“Not long.”

I saw the dark rings under her own eyes; how long had she laid alone in the darkness? How long until she accepted that help would not be coming for her? How long would our captors leave us to the descending darkness? But why had I given up so easily?

 _You are strong_.

Stiffly, I rose to my feet. My muscles screamed at the sudden demand after disuse and the abuse from interrogations. I slid a foot in an arch in front of me, my barefoot sliding along the smooth metal like liquid glass, and then raised the same foot up until my knee met my chest. I slammed my foot down; the impact shot sharp reverberations up the length of my leg.

I felt nothing.

I brought my foot up and slammed it down again with bruising force.

There was a not an earthbender alive that did not hear the tale of the forging of metalbending. She had been trapped in a cage, like mine, to be brought back to her parents against her will. Toph did the impossible because she could see it where others failed.

 _Everything is connected- feel for the fine pieces of earth deep in the metal. You can’t miss it – unless you’re Twinkletoes_.

I froze at the unfamiliar voice that echoed in my mind but took a deep breath and sought out the earth.

There.

I could sense the fragments left in the metal that could never be extracted. I thrust the backs of my hands against the wall separating Lin and me. The metal was unyielding; my arms trembled from the strain of the power struggle. “Come on,” I grunted behind clenched teeth.

“Kailyn, stop!” Lin called out hoarsely.

I ignored her and continued to punch the wall. My knuckle’s cracked and bled, but I continued my assault. I would not stop until the metal yielded to its new master. I cried out; the metal groaned and finally gave way with a shrill moan. I saw Lin’s haggard, astonished face through the hole I had crafted. I pried apart the opening until it was large enough for Lin to climb through.

“Come on,” I panted, and held my hand out for her to take, “We don’t have much time.” I hissed as Lin took my injured hand to pull herself through. “Stay close,” I murmured. I summoned my resolve and kicked down the door. I tugged on Lin’s hand as we staggered down the corridor.

“Get to your po-” the Lieutenant began, instructing the chi blockers behind him, but stopped short when he saw us.

I pushed Lin behind me and dropped into my stance. I clapped my hands together to send two walls of earth from out of the ground to sandwich the two chi blockers. The Lieutenant darted forward, but I was ready. I enveloped my fist with earth and launched myself at him with a summoned springboard. I shot through the air and caught the Lieutenant in the chest. I grinned as I punched him as we toppled to the ground. I straddled him and brought my aching fists down over and over and over until his face was as bloodied as my hands.

“Kailyn, enough,” Lin said, gently pulling me off of the Lieutenant.

“He was the one who found us – the night my father and I were kidnapped.”

“You got him – you beat him, but we have to keep moving until we are surrounded.”

I tunneled our way out of the factory basement where Amon’s prison had set up. I staggered back at the state Republic City had been reduced to. Cars and police airships were strewn about like a giant’s broken, disregarded toys, and the air was acrid.

“We need to get to Korra,” Lin urged.

I racked my brain for any clue that I could remember to figure out where Korra and the rest of New Team Avatar would be in hiding. I growled until I recalled who knew the goings on of the city better than the politicians who ran it – who lived in a place where benders and nonbenders sought refuge. “I think I know where to start looking,” I answered, and began to make my way along the street.

Darting through smouldering rubble, and dodging Equalist patrols, we made it to the alley that Gommu had led me to the night Lin and I fought. Large hunks of the neighbouring building littered the ground, so I started to clear it away to be able to access the man hole.

“Kailyn, we have to keep moving – the moment Amon hears of our escape the city is going to be crawling with his soldiers,” Lin growled.

“I know, I know – almost got it,” I replied, and lifted the lid. Blood trickled between my fingers as I hefted the metal up. “Get in,” I huffed.

Lin quirked a brow at me, but wordlessly slid into the darkness. I followed her, then bent the rubble back into place over the man hole to cloak our entrance. Reaching out, I took Lin’s hand and led her through the darkness.

“This was where I went the night we fought,” I explained softly. I weaved through the labyrinth of tunnels from the route I memorized what seemed like a lifetime ago. My memory did not fail me; soon, I saw the light that led to the slum city of ashes. I turned to face her and cupped her face. She flinched beneath my sticky hands, and I murmured, “Trust me.”

She nodded, and I guided us out of the darkness.

“Kailyn! Chief!” Gommu exclaimed as we came into view, “Amon was braggin’ to the city that you were in custody!”

“Broke out,” I replied wryly, and looked around as I asked, “Gommu, have you heard anything about where the Avatar is?”

“Yeah! She was here – with her friends – they just left!” Gommu explained hastily. He scratched his head and added, “Korra was going to go after Amon-”

“What?!” Lin and I demanded, sharing a panicked look.

“She can’t – she’s not ready-” I worried.

“- She’ll be fine,” Gommu reassured me, “That Mako won’t let anything happen to her. Then Bolin and Asami went off with General Iroh to take down the Equalist airfield.”

I worried my lip and started to wring my hands together until I was reminded of the damage that I had inflected to them. I could feel Lin’s eyes taking in my every move.

“What are we going to do?” I whispered.

“You’re gonna let me get those hands of yours cleaned up – what did you try punching, your own thick skull?” Gommu chided.

“We can’t stand back and let them fight on their own! Korra needs our help!”

“We wait,” Lin answered, “Neither of us are in any shape to fight – we’d only be a liability.” She took a seat around Gommu’s fire and motioned for me to do the same while the aforementioned trotted off in search of medical supplies.

Reluctantly, I mimicked her motions and stared into the fire.

“Lin, I’m scared.”

Lin wrapped an arm around my shoulders and drew me close. Her grip anchored me as I fought back the tremors. “Don’t be. You conquered the day,” she murmured in my ear. Her long fingers carded through my hair as I took gulping breaths.

I do not know how long we sat in silence; I stared into the flames until Lin broke the silence.

“You and that earthbender boy – Bolin.”

“Yes?” I asked softly.

“Don’t go looking for more than he’ll give you, trust me.”

I turned my head to look at her, confused. Her brow was furrowed and her lips thin. What was she mulling over Bolin and me – were my growing feelings that obvious?

“You still love him,” I concluded faintly, “Even after he broke your heart…”

“I don’t want to talk about my feelings-”

“-No, that’s not quite it. Pema stole him from you when you weren’t ready to let him go.”

“Kailyn, enough. Tenzin and I were involved,” Lin grunted, “But it’s in the past and he’s clearly moved on. It was a long time ago.”

“But that doesn’t make it hurt any less.”

“You and your father with your proverb, mumbo jumbo,” she snorted.

“I learned everything I could from him,” I mused, plucking a loose threat on my ripped trousers.

“They’ll be all right, Kailyn,” she assured me.

They had to be.


	15. Chapter Fifteen

“Hello? I’m looking for Kailyn Hsiao and Lin Beifong! Has anyone seen them?” an unfamiliar voice called out.

I lurched upright and saw Gommu approaching the newcomer, a man dressed in a United Forces’ uniform.

“Hey, General! The fine ladies are waiting over here,” Gommu explained.

“Hello?” I greeted hesitantly.

The handsome man took me in with wide, amber eyes. No doubt startled by what he saw: a young woman, without shoes, tattered and bloodied. “Councilman Tenzin sent me to find you and Beifong.” Lin and I shared a tremulous smile before the general continued, “Come, they’re waiting for you on Air Temple Island.”

* * *

The ferry across Yue Bay was slow; I paced the length of the boat like a moose lion, stopping only to glance at the approaching shoreline to see how much distance remained. Lin could have been mistaken for a statue; I ceased my pacing to stand at her side.

“Lin?” I pressed softly.

“What if Amon took their bending? What if I failed to protect the last airbenders?”

“Forgive my eavesdropping, but they are all safe,” General Iroh explained. His amber eyes took in my cracked, scabbing knuckles. “What happened to you?” he asked.

“Broke us out of the prison Amon was keeping us in. Learning metalbending wasn’t quite the same as earthbending,” I answered. I turned back to Lin and whispered, “Whatever happens, we are in this together.”

The moment my feet touched down on the dock, I was bowled over by the airbending children.

“Daddy came to break you and Beifong out of prison, but the cells were ripped apart!” Ikki exclaimed.

“It seems Kailyn had one more surprise for us,” Tenzin murmured from behind me.

“It wasn’t-” I began.

“-You taught yourself metalbending?!” Bolin interjected, “You’re like one in a million!”

“I don’t think-” I stammered, cheeks ablaze.

“-Kailyn!”

I turned about and Asami crashed into me. She wrapped her arms around me fiercely, and I folded mine around her in turn.

“You’re okay! My father – he… he told me you were dead.”

“I’m sorry to be making a liar out of him a second time,” I chuckled.

“I can’t believe Amon got you, too.”

My smile faded at Lin’s words, so I turned to look at who she was talking to. It was Korra. My eyes darted back and forth between the Avatar and Lin; had Amon taken Korra’s bending? What did that mean for the Avatar Cycle?

A figure standing atop a passing ship cried out wildly and clapped his hands against his chest. “That would be Commander Bumi,” General Iroh remarked as he walked up to Asami and me, “A bit of a wild man.”

“That’s Tenzin’s brother?” I laughed incredulously.

Asami and General Iroh made their way over to the small group gathered around Korra, and I made to follow suit. Bolin crashed into me, forcing me to take a step back to keep myself upright, and he embraced me. My cheeks burned at the action, but my arms slowly raised up to cross against his back.

“Hey, Bolin,” I greeted lamely, and patted his back when he did not let me go.

“I’m sorry – I should have asked first, but I’m just so happy you’re okay!”

“How long were Lin and I locked up?” I wondered.

Bolin averted his eyes and shuffled his feet. “A little over two weeks,” he replied.

“Kailyn,” Lin called out, her voice soft. I shot Bolin a smile before making my way to her. “Come with me,” she said softly. We walked to the pagoda, away from the others, and Lin continued, “I am going to the Southern Water Tribe with the others to see if Katara can return my bending.”

“I’ll go with you.”

The corner of Lin’s lips twitched in a flicker of a smile and she wrapped an arm around my shoulders. “Let’s find you a change of clothes, Katara will have my hide if I have you walking around like that.” She took my wrist gently and dragged me towards the bathhouse. She gesticulated for me to get into one of the steaming tubs. “There should be some clothes that should fit you in the attic,” she explained as she trotted out of sight.

I disrobed, gritting my teeth at my aching joints and muscles, and then lowered myself into the bath. The tense coils beneath my skin eased, and my head fell back to rest on the lip of the tub. I lowered my hands into the water but hissed in pain and quickly pulled them out when my cracked knuckles burned at the water’s contact.

“Give me your hands.”

I jolted at Lin’s sudden return, gripping the edge of the tub fiercely. My knuckles split open, and I hissed as I cradled them to my chest.

“Kailyn,” Lin sighed, and held out her hand. Slowly, I eased my now bleeding hands into her touch, and she started to wipe away the blood and dirt that lingered in my wounds. I envied waterbenders in that moment, for the ache could have vanished the moment I touched water, but Lin’s gentle care served as a balm, too.

Her intense eyes were fixed upon her task as she washed away blood, old and new, on my hands before applying a salve and wrapped my hands in lightweight bandages. “Your hair looks disgusting,” she chuffed.

“I will refrain from remarking on yours,” I quipped with a quirked brow.

She wordlessly went about washing my tangled mess of hair, and I watched the water dull to a muted brown as the result of her labour. “Best get out, or we will have to start all over,” she grunted as she dumped a basin of water over my sudsy tendrils and hauled me to my feet. She tossed me a towel to dry off, and then held out a pile of neatly folded clothes. “They may not smell the best, but my old clothes should fit,” she explained.

I looked down at the garments; they were understated but were fine materials. The long-sleeved top fastened by an intricate row of buttons that ran asymmetrically from neckline to hem; the trousers were loose and butter-soft to the touch. Mindful of my bandages, I put everything on. “How do I look?” I asked when I finished and came out of the bathouse.

“Heeeeey, Linny! Don’t be such a stick in the mud and stop hiding!”

Lin huffed and turned around just as Commander Bumi came into view.

“Whoa! When did you settle down with someone to have a kid?! Never thought you’d be the type!” he thundered in greeting, beaming, “And a beauty – just like her mother!”

“Now is not the time for your antics, Bumi,” Lin scolded, glaring at the man.

“Aw, come on, Linny. You can’t deny she’s a Lil Beifong!”

“Kailyn Hsiao, a pleasure to meet you,” I greeted the man softly, and bowed.

“Well, one thing is for sure – she didn’t get your temper!” Bumi chortled.

Though startled by his enthusiasm, I took it in stride. “I am afraid that I am not her daughter, Commander, just her ward,” I corrected him with a polite smile.

“You’re joking!” he gasped, eyes comically wide.

“Kailyn, Lin, we’re getting ready to leave,” Tenzin announced as he lingered in the pagoda archway.

“Say ‘hi’ to Mum for me,” Bumi shouted, and clapped his brother firmly on the back.

“Do you need a jacket?” Lin asked softly.

“I think I might have left one here,” I answered. I darted off and entered the spare room that I had occupied during my stay on Air Temple Island. I rifled through the wardrobe and found the coat in question. I came back out to the courtyard where everyone was waiting for me on Oogi’s back. I vaulted onto Oogi’s back – only to realise that Lin was forced to climb up Oogi’s side.

Bolin noticed that, and my bandaged hands, so he leaned over the side of the saddle to offer Lin his hand.

“Thanks, kid,” Lin said gruffly as he pulled her up.

I smiled at Bolin and settled into place beside Lin. I sagged against her as the adrenalin that had kept me going petered out, and I fought to keep my heavy eyes open.

“Get some rest,” Lin urged, wrapping an arm around me to pull me in closer.

“Last time we were on Oogi, you scared me,” I confessed faintly.

“What can scare a thick-headed fool like you?” she mumbled wryly.

“I thought I would never get the chance to thank you – you gave up so much when you took me in and-”

“-Go to sleep, Kailyn, spirits, you can be a chatterbox like those airbender kids,” she interjected softly, “Save it for another time.” Her hand reached up to cup the back of my head, and her thumb pressed into the base of my skull. The action released the tension lingering in me and I was lulled to sleep.


	16. Chapter Sixteen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SLIGHT TRIGGER WARNING: please be aware.

_“You are forbidden to leave the grounds, yet you snuck away the moment I looked away!”_

_“I’m sorry, Mama! I won’t do it agai-”_

_My eyes were shut as soon as I saw her hand reach back._

_“I’m sorry – I’m sorry – so sorry!”_

_“You are supposed to be normal!” she seethed, shaking me roughly._

* * *

“Kailyn!”

Lin.

I awoke with a shuddering gasp, and I could feel the hair at my temples damp from my tears. All eyes were on me, intrigued and horrified at what could have haunted my slumber, and I was mortified. But what I hated more was that the children were scared; I had frightened them. Meelo peeked over his father’s shoulder with wide eyes, Ikki looked ready to say something but was shushed by Pema, and Jinora made a great effort to feign sleep.

“Kailyn, look at me,” Lin urged softly. Her calloused thumb reached up to smooth my furrowed brow, pressing gently at the tense muscles until they submitted to her touch.

I reached up and clamped around her wrist in a bruising grip. “I can’t get away from her,” I whimpered.

“You will…in time,” she promised. She tucked back a damp tendril behind my ear and then moved her hand down to thread her fingers through mine. I winced at her warmth that permeated through the bandages covering my knuckles. “We’ll get a healer to take a look at your hands when we land,” she added faintly.

Her tone brooked no argument, so I did not fight her on the matter.

“Why is that boy still staring at you?” she grunted darkly.

“Probably doesn’t know how to handle when a young woman is crying.”

“Hmph. Typical.”

* * *

Once Oogi landed, Lin urged me in the opposite direction of the White Lotus base where the others were following Korra inside. We did not have to go far, Lin seemed to find the place that she was looking for just outside of the compound.

“I would prefer Katara to see to you, but she will be seeing to Korra. Kya will do,” she explained.

“Tenzin’s sister?” I inquired.

“Yes,” Lin replied, and opened the front door for me to enter ahead of her.

“Erm, hello?” the woman, Kya, greeted me slowly. A broad grin broke out on her lovely features when Lin came into view behind me. “Lin!” she exclaimed, and pulled the stoic woman into a fierce embrace. I snickered faintly when I saw Lin’s tense hands remaining lamely at her sides. “What are you doing here?” Kya continued as she pulled back slightly to take Lin in.

“We are here with the Avatar,” Lin answered, “Your mother is seeing to Korra, but I need you to take a look at Kailyn.”

Kya’s attention returned to me, and I raised my head to meet her gaze.

“Hello,” I greeted softly, and bowed to pay my respects, “My name is Kailyn Hsiao.”

Kya’s eyes narrowed at my bandaged hands and she promptly went into action. She guided me over to the small table in the kitchen and motioned for me to sit opposite her. She peeled away my bandages, taking care of my scabs but the linens caught on them anyways.

My fingers curled violently when pain shot up my arms, but I relaxed them as soon as I could. The scabs were darker and made the injuries look worse; some were bad enough that the split skin continue from one knuckle to another, and my skin was a mottled purple.

Kya uncorked the flask strapped at her waist, and the water jumped out to envelope my hands. I ground my teeth at the initial contact, but as the water glowed blue, the throbbing that had settled deep in my bones began to ebb away. “Multiple fractures in both hands – and the surrounding tissue is a mess,” Kya tisked, “What are you having this girl do, Lin?”

“Prison break?” I offered.

Lin’s hand gently rested on my shoulder as she replied, “She saved our lives – learned metal bending through willpower.”

“Thank the spirits that you didn’t try to use your head, first,” Kya chided.

“That would have been on the second attempt,” I quipped wryly, shooting Lin a tired smile over my shoulder. She stepped closer, so I let my head fall back to rest on her ever-sure frame.

“Probably would have worked quicker, too,” Lin remarked lowly.

“Great, another person with your cut and dry sense of humour,” Kya groaned, shooting Lin a wink.

“She’s been with me for several months now, it’s about time she picked up my habits.”

“How old are you?” Kya asked, suddenly serious.

“Seventeen.”

“Your daughter is seventeen years old, and she’s only been with you for several _months_?! Lin, I’m disappointed in you!”

“I am her-”

“-She’s – She’s my guardian,” I stammered, “I was orphaned during Amon’s uprising.”

Lin let the slight lie go without contest; she knew that it was better for me that others considered my mother unreachable – just as much as my father.

“Wow, did not expect that. You look a lot like Lin did when we were growing up – with better manners,” Kya mused.

The water surrounding my hands stopped glowing, and Kya pushed it into the sink to drain away. I beheld my freshly healed hands in awe; the skin was a fresh pink – as if they had only been chapped by the biting cold of the South Pole.

“Let me see,” Lin ordered gently, holding out her hands for me to place my own in. Slowly, I did, and Lin examined them with a critical eye. “Thank you, Kya,” she announced, and then led me out of the tent.

“Well, nice to see you, too, Lin! Next time don’t bring Kailyn banged up when you come to see me!” Kya teased.

We walked back to the White Lotus compound, entering the main building where everyone was waiting for Korra to emerge from her healing session with Master Katara. I took a seat beside Pema, who held a fitfully sleeping Rohan in her arms.

“May I?” I murmured.

“Oh, Kailyn, you’re back! Of course,” Pema remarked softly, and eased the babe into my arms, “He’ll sleep better – I’m too tense for him to get comfy.”

I smiled tenderly down at Rohan and trailed a gentle finger along his cheekbone, watching as his eyes fluttered beneath their closed lids. The door slid open, and whom I assumed to be Master Katara stepped into the room.

“There is nothing I can do to restore Korra’s connection to the other elements,” she announced gravely.

Lin rose to her feet and stared at the woman. “But you are the greatest healer in the world,” she implored, “There has to be something!”

The room fell silent as Korra appeared from the healing chambers. She carried herself with the same hard edge that Lin did – an ever-present ache that only gnawed at the spirit. She looked at all of us, as we stared back at her, before she barreled past us to get out of the building. “I’m sorry-” she cried over her shoulder.

Mako went after her without prompting, and I looked at Lin. She stood alone in a room full of people that turned to one another for comfort. I made my way to her, and she glanced my way.

“I’m here,” I murmured, and gently took hold her hand with my free hand while I cradled Rohan with my other arm.

“If Katara can’t restore Korra’s bending… then – then how am I going to get mine back?”

“We’ll find a way,” I reassured her.

“You aren’t going to give up, are you?” Lin sighed.

“No, seems like my stubborn streak has only gotten worse from living with you,” I teased.

“Kailyn,” Tenzin called out softly.

“Not now, Tenzin,” I dismissed, not taking my eyes off Lin. Tenzin placed a firm hand on my shoulder, and I tensed beneath the touch, but still turned to face him. I handed Rohan to his father, and then took hold of Lin’s hand once more. “Be with your family,” I urged.

“Kya left a scar,” Lin mused suddenly.

“Hm?”

Lin’s thumb ran over my recently healed hand in hers, drawing my attention to the silvery scar that ran across two knuckles.

“Scars are stories that are meant to remembered.”

“Who said that?”

“My father,” I answered.

“For a politician, I liked him…most of the time,” she chuckled wryly, but mirth was fleeting.

The front door burst open, revealing Korra who was breathing hard and was tailed by a wide-eyed Make. “Beifong!” Korra exclaimed, “Come with me.” She come up to the two of us to drag Lin out of the building by the hand.

Wordlessly, I followed them out to an earthbending meditation temple. A warmth unfound in the South Pole permeated through me when I reached out to touch once of the large shards of earth arranged throughout the courtyard. My eyes closed as I felt the hum of the earth trembled up the length of the arm.

My attention was drawn back to Korra and Lin; both were above us on the first dias along the staircase. Lin knelt before the Avatar, her lips set in a tense line as she looked up at Korra. The latter took a deep breath and eyes ignited with the celestial light of the Avatar State. A light sparked in Korra and flowed into Lin, then as quickly as it consumed the two – it was gone.

Lin opened her eyes and calmly regarded Korra, her features smooth. Korra nodded her head faintly, and Lin rose to her feet and turned to face us. My heart leapt into my throat as I saw Lin’s feet slide apart and her arms raised, and my hands flew to my mouth as I felt the responding earth’s call.

Tears blurred my vision as the boulders surrounding us rose, and I would have laughed at Bolin’s face but I was too happy. A beaming smile erupted on my face as I sprinted up the stairs to Lin; I pushed Tenzin aside and fell into Lin’s startled arms. My momentum did not stop when I meant to, so I crashed into her and clung to her so tightly that my arms shook…

But she was holding me just as fiercely.

Lin Beifong may not have been what I wanted, but I realised now that she was what I needed – more than anything.

_Fin._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And here is the end of the first installment! Thank you to everyone who has dropped in, left a kudos, or even bookmarked this work! I will uploading the next installments over the next couple of days. Since there wasn't much Beifong action, I had Book Two: Spirits being a pair of one-shots and then as the introduction into Book Three: Change. I hope you will enjoy them!   
> <3 KSS


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